Hayne is giving up his career in the Australian National Rugby League to pursue an NFL job across the world. He likely will compete for a job as a running back and return man on special teams.

The 27-year-old Hayne, who is six-foot-two and 220 pounds, held a news conference in Sydney to announce he would join the 49ers. San Francisco is beginning to build a roster for new coach Jim Tomsula, who replaced the departed Jim Harbaugh in mid-January after the Niners (8-8) missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season and following three straight trips to the NFC championship game.

Tomsula’s experience coaching in NFL Europe helped sway Hayne, who also generated interest from Detroit and Seattle. In December, the Lions acknowledged that Hayne visited with them during his tour of NFL teams after a workout in San Diego. Hayne also visited the Pacific Northwest and toured the University of Washington and Seahawks headquarters in September.

Renowned for his acceleration and counter-attacking skills in rugby, Hayne said he believes he has the ability to make it as either a punt returner or kick returner. The 49ers appreciate versatility and depth, perhaps something Hayne could offer at a couple of positions.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was asked about the transition for a rugby player though the coach didn’t meet with Hayne.

Carroll noted that rugby players would be naturals to try to make the switch to football given the similarities in skill sets.

“You’re looking for great athletes to make the transition because the guys on our level are fantastic athletes,” Carroll said. “But there is just a lot of general carry over because it’s running, and making people miss, and hitting, and tackling, and being tough and physical and all that stuff.”

Now, Carroll and the Super Bowl runner-up Seahawks could be facing Hayne in the NFC West.

“His first outing. We’re not worried about him,” manager John Gibbons said soothingly of Sanchez, who suffered from his own and others’ mistakes.

The Jays have 31 more exhibition games to get it right.

Kevin Pillar homered for Toronto, which made it close with two runs in the eighth and another in the ninth when the Jays had the bases loaded.

The Blue Jays’ Marcus Stroman, centre, talks with his mother Adelin Auffanc before the game against the Pirates on Tuesday. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)

Pedro Alvarez, Jung Ho Kang and Elias Diaz homered for the Pirates, who led 6-0 early and outhit the Jays 14-11.

Gibbons preferred to see the positives in a predictably sloppy spring training opener that saw both teams empty their benches.

“We made a run at them … we had a lot of opportunities but we couldn’t really cash in,” he said. “But the guys hung tough.”

Dalton Pompey, competing for the Jays’ open centre-fielder spot, engineered a run in the third when he singled, stole second, took third on a sacrifice fly and scored on a groundout.

With left field open for the time being due to Michael Saunders’ knee injury, Gibbons switched Pompey to left and Pillar to centre in the fifth. Pompey responded with an acrobatic catch but then lost a fly ball that dropped in for a double and scored a run.

Reliever Wilton Lopez provided the Jays’ only 1-2-3 inning, in the seventh. And six-foot-five beanpole Miguel Castro yielded only a single in an effective eighth inning.

“First time out there, he made it look easy,” Gibbons said of the 20-year-old Castro. “I thought Lopez looked good too.”

The three-hour 17-minute contest was the Jays’ first under Major League Baseball’s push to shorten games, with a clock in the outfield counting down time between innings.

“I didn’t even notice it really,” Gibbons said of the changes.

Sanchez finished last season as Toronto’s closer but is being given the chance to earn a regular spot in the rotation.

Five runs (two earned) in 1 ⅓ innings proved to be a tough start for Sanchez, who did not give up an earned run in six spring training games last year. He exited after 10 batters Tuesday.

“Just today wasn’t my day,” said the 22-year-old Sanchez, who was keeping his outing in perspective. “But I can learn from that.”

It started well for the Jays with two fine fielding plays. First Sanchez stabbed a Jeff Decker liner aimed at his head. Then, off-balance after fielding the ball near home plate, Martin threw out Sean Rodriguez. A two-out error by third baseman Josh

Toronto Blue Jays starter Aaron Sanchez, and catcher Russell Martin make a play on a ball on Tuesday. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)

Donaldson left men on first and second, however, and Alvarez punished Sanchez with a three-run homer.

“It’s spring training for everybody,” said Sanchez. “You can’t go out there and rely on guys making plays and (umpires) making calls, you’ve got to make your pitches and I didn’t do that today.”

A Decker double in the second drove in two more runs and ended Sanchez’s afternoon on a sunny 25-degree day before 4,593 at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

Pittsburgh starter Casey Sadler, who went 11-4 with a 3.03 earned-run average last season with Class-AAA Indianapolis before being called up, faced just six batters in his two innings with a Donaldson double play erasing a walk.

The Pirates went deep into the alphabet with their pitchers, showcasing Stolmy Pimentel, Arquimedes Caminero and Bobby LaFromboise among others.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/sanchez-hit-hard-in-jays-spring-training-opener-against-pirates/feed0Aaron SanchezthecanadianpressToronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, centre, talks with his mother Adelin Auffanc, second right, before playing against the Pittsburgh Pirates during first inning Grapefruit League baseball action in Dunedin, Fla., on Tuesday, March 3, 2015. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez, and catcher Russell Martin make a play on a ball on Tuesday. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press)Cyprus tourney gives Team Canada big test before World Cuphttp://o.canada.com/sports/cyprus-tourney-gives-team-canada-big-test-before-world-cup
http://o.canada.com/sports/cyprus-tourney-gives-team-canada-big-test-before-world-cup#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 21:51:43 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595450&preview_id=595450]]>TORONTO — Call it a dress rehearsal for this summer’s Women’s World Cup.

Canada’s women’s soccer team plays Scotland on Wednesday to open the Cyprus Cup, the final tournament before this summer’s World Cup in Canada, and one last opportunity, says coach John Herdman, to test out tournament strategies.

“It’s a pretty serious time and this tournament is an important step for us,” Herdman said on a conference call Tuesday.

“It’s just the fact that you’re going from game to game (in a tournament format), and with that you have all your recovery strategies, mental, physical, you have to be slick with your scouting processes, and bringing together the information that has to be passed on from game to game and how that transfers from the staff to the players.”

Herdman is fielding a mix of veterans, such as Christine Sinclair, Karina LeBlanc, Erin McLeod and Melissa Tancredi, and rising stars such as Kadeisha Buchanan and Janine Beckie for the tournament. With each passing game, he said, he gets that much closer to cementing his roster for the World Cup, which kicks off in three months.

“We haven’t written anyone off. There’s still opportunities and the door is always open,” Herdman said. “But every time I pick a squad now, getting closer to the tournament, we get a clearer picture. . .”

The notable absences are Diana Matheson and Lauren Sesselmann. Matheson, who scored the lone goal in Canada’s 1-0 bronze-medal victory over France at the 2012 London Olympics, tore her anterior cruciate ligament in late October, while Sesselmann tore her ACL a year ago.

“Lauren’s recovery is getting there, and we’re hoping that she’s going to be back for the World Cup, we expect to see her back (training) in April,” Herdman said. “I think that’s an exciting part for me as a coach because I get to see if she’s back in a way, in a form that can actually impact a tournament before I make my final selections.”

Matheson poses a bigger question, since she suffered her injury only six months ago.

“But as a player, she’s one of the most resilient and disciplined women that I’ve ever met, and if anyone can get back in time, it (will be) Diane,” Herdman said. “Her recovery is ahead of schedule at this stage, and we all have our fingers crossed because. . . none of these women want to see Diana miss the World Cup, she’s such a critical part of this team, and we’re desperate to see her back.”

The Canadian women are on a roll. They’re undefeated in their past six games, which included three victories en route to winning the Bao’an Cup earlier this year in China.

“We’re hoping we can keep that roll going because it’s great for confidence for our players,” Herdman said.

Canada has won the Cyprus Cup three times, and will be gunning for its first title since 2011.

Canada finished second in Group A in last year’s Cyprus Cup and were relegated to the fifth-place match where the beat Ireland 2-1.

Following their match against Scotland, the Canadians will travel to Larnaca, where they’ll face South Korea on Friday. They’ll wrap up Group A play on Monday versus Italy in Nicosia.

Herdman said Canada will play in about five friendlies after the Cyprus Cup and prior to the opening of the World Cup on June 6.

The three stars, arguably in contention for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ team MVP award, pointed to another player as deserving the honour three-quarters of the way through the season: goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

Centres Malkin and Crosby, heavily in the chase for the NHL scoring title with 64 points apiece, and Letang, who as of Tuesday led the league’s defencemen with 49 points, agree that Fleury has blossomed in recent seasons. They say he has been the steadying factor in 2014-15 as Pittsburgh vies for the Metropolitan Division title amid injuries and roster changes.

“Flower has been really solid the last few years,” Letang said, using Fleury’s longtime nickname. “He’s just a focused guy who gives us a chance to win every night. Some nights it’s a different guy up front or on the back end (who steps up), but every night we have one goalie, and he’s picking up everybody and carrying us.”

As the Penguins embark on a four-game Western swing that begins Wednesday at Colorado, Fleury (29-13-6) is on the verge of reaching the 30-win mark for the sixth time in as many 82-game seasons since sticking full-time in the NHL in 2008-09. He has career bests with a 2.19 goals-against average and .924 save percentage and leads the league with eight shutouts.

Instinctively, he crouches into deflection mode when told that some of his star teammates consider him the club’s best player this season.

“It’s been a good ride,” Fleury said. “I just keep working out with my goalie coach (Mike Bales), watch video, try to work on little things, try to improve. My teammates have done a great job in front of me.”

In November, he got rewarded with a $23-million US, four-year contract extension and a strong verbal endorsement from Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford. Fleury also turned 30 that month.

The job security didn’t slow him.

“You look at what he’s done all season long,” Crosby said. “It’s not easy with the workload he gets and the situation we’ve been put in this year with all the injuries. He’s been our best player consistently.”

To keep it that way, Penguins coach Mike Johnston said Fleury’s workload will be managed down the stretch run. Thomas Greiss, who has started just 13 times, will get a little bigger share of games, particularly with five remaining back-to-back situations.

“That gives Flower the rest time that he needs,” Johnston said.

Rutherford and Johnston, hired last summer, inherited a franchise goalie who has been widely blamed for a lot of Pittsburgh’s playoff disappointments since winning the Stanley Cup in 2009. The former club regime attempted to address everything from Fleury’s energy level to confidence, and Fleury spent time with a sports psychologist in summer 2013.

Last week, even with a scheduled day off for the team on Friday, Johnston gave Fleury a day off from practice Thursday. That might have given the goalie a mental break, but he hardly kicked back with his feet up.

“I spent some time at home. Went to Home Depot. Got some groceries. Cleaned up a little bit,” Fleury said. “Played with my daughter, had fun with her. I went to Gymboree with her.”

Estelle, who is nearly two, inherited her father’s never-sit-still attack on life, and Fleury has said he gets a fair workout chasing the pucks that she shoots. Playtime away from the rink will increase for Fleury before it subsides. His wife, Veronique, is expecting their second daughter in August.

Still, Fleury’s maturity in net has stemmed at least in part from being calmer, relying less on making wild acrobatic saves and more on strong positional and steady post play, rebound control and an ability to shake off the frustration of giving up an occasional goal.

Crosby doesn’t expect anything less when the playoffs arrive.

“I don’t see that being anything major with him.” Crosby said. “He’s been playing great for us.”

The world’s largest travelling circus of fashion editors, models, buyers and journalists has descended on the French capital, clutching their metro maps and city guides, to cap the ready-to-wear fashion season.

For fall-winter 2015-16, the dizzying 92 scheduled shows mean the nine-day “week” almost tears at the seams, with events starting early in the day and finishing later than ever at night.

Tuesday — day one — saw collections dominated by rising star Anthony Vaccarello, who has been chosen as the creative designer of Versace’s sister line, Versus.

Here’s a look at the highlights:

ANTHONY VACCARELLO’S MATCH MADE IN VERSACE HEAVEN

Models walk the runway during the Versus Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [AP Photo/Jacques Brinon]

The Italian-Belgian designer is the fashion man of the moment. One of Paris’ younger emerging talents, Vaccarello has made a name for himself with provocative styles that are revealing without being vulgar. So the announcement this January that Vaccarello would get together with his spiritual sister Donatella Versace to work on her Versus diffusion line looked like a match made in heaven.

Models walk the runway during the Versus Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [AP Photo/Jacques Brinon]

Models walk the runway during the Versus Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [AP Photo/Jacques Brinon]

In Tuesday’s show, the 32-year-old showed exactly why he’s been tapped by the Italian super-house.

The vibe felt very ’80s and very Italian, with sharp shoulders, studs and thigh-high stripper boots with lashings of black leather and suede. Splits in the side of an asymmetrical little black dress was adorned with sexy belt fastenings. Stars motifs added a feminine twinkle in the collection that seemed to bridge more than ever the similarities between the Versace and the Vaccarello universes.

Models walk the runway during the Versus show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall 2015 on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [AP Photo/Francois Mori]

PARIS CELEBRATES JEANNE LANVIN

Along with Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli, she towered high for decades as one of the pillars of French fashion. Now iconic designer Jeanne Lanvin, who died in 1946, will be honoured in a new exhibition opening this week at the Paris City Fashion museum at the Palais Galliera.

The show will be inaugurated by Paris’ Mayor Anne Hidalgo and celebrates Lanvin as being the oldest operating fashion house in France. It’s a rich legacy that has spanned the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

“Jeanne Lanvin” will run until August 23.

EACH X OTHER

A model walks the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images]

Each X Other describes itself as a “new androgyne collaborative art and fashion brand, a magnetic point where roads cross and people finally meet.”

A model walks the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images]

At their strong debut show in Paris, brand founders Jenny Mannerheim and Ilan Delouis stuck to this mantra and injected a nice whiff of menswear to a highly cool showing of linear styles. With a funky, contemporary art space backdrop at the Palais de Tokyo and a cryptic Goethe quote on the wall, it’s clear this house is trying to set itself up as a space where art meets fashion.

It worked.

A model walks the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images]

A model walks the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images]

Dark, silken jumpsuits with round collars contrasted with the sharp lapels and square shoulders of a menswear tuxedo. Subtle chevron patterning gave a twist to a cream overcoat. And huge textured knitting in an oversize blue cocoon sweater was an invitation to a cuddle.

Models walk the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. [Patrick Kovarik/AFP/Getty Images]

]]>http://o.canada.com/life/fashion-beauty/bye-new-york-ciao-milan-its-bonjour-for-paris-fashion-week/feed0Model Anja Rubik walks the runway during the Versus Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France.theassociatedpresscanadaModels walk the runway during the Versus Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. Models walk the runway during the Versus Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. Models walk the runway during the Versus Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. Models walk the runway during the Versus show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall 2015 on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France.A model walks the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France.A model walks the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France.A model walks the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France.A model walks the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France.Models walk the runway during the Each X Other Fall 2015 collection show as part of Paris Fashion Week Womenswear on March 3, 2015 in Paris, France. Tech Toys: A look at new show stopper technology at Mobile World Congresshttp://o.canada.com/technology/tech-toys-a-look-at-new-show-stopper-technology-at-mobile-world-congress
http://o.canada.com/technology/tech-toys-a-look-at-new-show-stopper-technology-at-mobile-world-congress#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 20:40:48 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=595423]]>Vancouver Sun Digital Life writer Gillian Shaw visits show stoppers at the Mobile world Conference in Barcelona. Show stoppers is new technology being introduced for the first time.]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/tech-toys-a-look-at-new-show-stopper-technology-at-mobile-world-congress/feed0showstopperspostmedianews1Spring baseball opens with changes designed to quicken gameshttp://o.canada.com/sports/spring-baseball-opens-with-changes-designed-to-quicken-games
http://o.canada.com/sports/spring-baseball-opens-with-changes-designed-to-quicken-games#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 20:09:51 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595405&preview_id=595405]]>GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Tick, tock, baseball is on the clock.

Major League Baseball’s new pace of play rules have begun with Tuesday’s exhibition games in Arizona and Florida.

The subtle changes are designed to speed a game long embraced for its leisurely pace. Hitters must now keep one foot in the batter’s box between pitches, and pitchers must complete warmup tosses between innings in a specific time.

Digital clocks, though some officials prefer to call them timers, have been installed in ballparks throughout the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues to keep the action moving.

Players will need to get used to the changes. After the first pitch of the game between Philadelphia and the Yankees at Clearwater, Florida, New York’s Jacoby Ellsbury completely stepped out of the box, maintaining his routine. Plate umpire Vic Carapazza gave no indication that he reminded Ellsbury of the new rule.

By reducing the time of games, MLB hopes to make the sport more TV friendly and entice a younger audience while not compromising baseball’s integrity.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/spring-baseball-opens-with-changes-designed-to-quicken-games/feed0Orioles-Tigers-Spring-Baseball.jpgtheassociatedpresscanadaChrissie Hynde memoir coming in Septemberhttp://o.canada.com/entertainment/chrissie-hynde-memoir-coming-in-september
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/chrissie-hynde-memoir-coming-in-september#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 19:52:32 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595398&preview_id=595398]]>NEW YORK — Chrissie Hynde will tell the story of her life, with all its ups and downs.

Penguin Random House announced Tuesday that the Pretenders singer was working on an “an incredibly frank” memoir that will come out Sept. 8. The book is currently untitled.

According to Doubleday, Hynde will write about her childhood in Akron, Ohio, offer a “strikingly intimate portrayal” of the punk rock scene of the 1970s and a “bittersweet” look back at the Pretenders, who had such hits as “Brass in Pocket” and “Talk of the Town,” but lost two original band members to drug-related deaths. Hynde, 63, said in a statement issued through her publisher that she hoped her book would make people dance, have fun, possibly cry and maybe reach for a guitar.

]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/chrissie-hynde-memoir-coming-in-september/feed0Books-Chrissie-Hynde.jpgtheassociatedpresscanadaSaskatchewan’s Laycock beats New Brunswick’s Mallais at Brierhttp://o.canada.com/sports/saskatchewans-laycock-beats-new-brunswicks-mallais-at-brier
http://o.canada.com/sports/saskatchewans-laycock-beats-new-brunswicks-mallais-at-brier#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 19:22:42 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595367&preview_id=595367]]>CALGARY — Saskatchewan’s Steve Laycock strengthened his grip on second place at the Tim Hortons Brier with a 7-4 victory over New Brunswick’s Jeremy Mallais at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Laycock improved to 4-1 after eight draws of round-robin play at the Canadian men’s curling championship.

Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs, who did not play in the morning draw, is the lone unbeaten team at 5-0.

Bieber signed the missive by referencing Rogen’s off-colour slur, followed by a winking emoticon.

Kevin Hart will host the Comedy Central roast, which has already confirmed appearances from comedians Hannibal Buress and Jeff Ross.

17:00ET 02-03-15

]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/justin-bieber-begging-fellow-canuck-seth-rogen-to-roast-him-at-upcoming-special/feed0TV-Justin Bieber RoastthecanadianpressSeth RogenCBS and Judge Judy extend deal through 2020http://o.canada.com/entertainment/cbs-and-judge-judy-extend-deal-through-2020
http://o.canada.com/entertainment/cbs-and-judge-judy-extend-deal-through-2020#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 19:15:38 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595379&preview_id=595379]]>NEW YORK — Daytime television’s most popular personality, “Judge Judy” Sheindlin, has extended her contract for three years and will keep her court in session into 2020.

CBS Television Distribution didn’t discuss terms of the deal on Monday. TV Guide has reported her current salary at $47 million a year — making her by far the highest-paid personality on television. Sheindlin is 72.

The new deal also gives CBS first look at any projects by Sheindlin’s production company, which makes the new court show “Hot Bench.”

“Judge Judy” is now in its 19th season. It averages more than 10 million viewers an episode, tops in daytime television for the past five years.

WASHINGTON — A new performance series curated by leading artists will help define a new programming slate at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts under its new president, along with festivals celebrating Ireland and something unexpected: skateboarding culture.

Jazz pianist Jason Moran, dancer Damian Woetzel, mandolinist Chris Thile from the bands Punch Brothers and Nickel Creek and composer Mason Bates will be the first artists crafting programs that cross traditional artistic genres, said Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter in announcing plans Tuesday. To open the centre’s new season in September, Moran will break out of his traditional jazz role to lead a festival on skateboarding, music and media — complete with an outdoor skateboarding ramp.

The new artist-led series is one of a few changes Rutter is making to the centre’s presentation as she seeks to have artists engage more directly with audiences.

“I want to put the artists more centrally in the discussion about what we do, why we do it, how we do it and how it reflects our society,” Rutter said. “If we only ever do what is expected of us … if we give art to you, as opposed to having a dynamic relationship, we’re never going to advance art. That’s what artists will tell you.”

FILE – In this June 9, 2012 file photo, Chris Thile performs during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. [AP Photo/Dave Martin, File]

The 2015-16 season includes more than 2,000 performances in music, theatre and dance — making the centre one of the nation’s busiest performing arts venues. An international festival celebrating Irish arts and culture in 2016 will mark the centennial of Ireland’s move toward independence, dating back to the Easter Rising in 1916. Organizers noted President John F. Kennedy, for whom the centre is a memorial, was the first Irish-American president.

The programming slate totals more than $125 million of the centre’s nearly $200 million budget, said spokeswoman Amanda Hunter. That represents a slight increase in spending due to major commitments for a European tour of the affiliated National Symphony Orchestra and the first-ever Washington National Opera production of Richard Wagner’s “Ring” cycle. Rutter said the four-opera cycle will be a “critical pinnacle of our season.”

The centre will also broaden its approach to classical music with two new series showcasing the National Symphony Orchestra. “Declassified: Fridaysâ†*9″ will offer a later start time, a mix of classic and modern music, and cocktails allowed in the concert hall. Pop star Ben Folds will open the series. The orchestra will also offer “Coffee Concerts” for audiences during daytime hours.

In theatre, the season does not include any major new theatre projects produced by the Kennedy Center, however, following last year’s revival of “Side Show” that moved to Broadway and the centre’s first new musical “Little Dancer.” Still, Rutter said it’s important to maintain the centre’s “important role in theatre” going forward, and she wants to take time to work with producers on future plans.

Six national touring shows booked for 2015 and 2016 include: “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” “Matilda the Musical,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Kinky Boots,” “The Bridges of Madison County” and “The Phantom of the Opera.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/travel/kennedy-center-to-stage-artist-curated-series-festivals-celebrating-ireland-and-skateboarding/feed0Kennedy-Center-Season.jpgtheassociatedpresscanadaFILE - In this June 9, 2012 file photo, Chris Thile performs during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn. The Kennedy Center in Washington is unveiling a new programming slate under its new president, including a performance series curated by leading artists and festivals celebrating Ireland and skateboarding culture. Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter is announcing plans Tuesday. Under her signature series, jazz pianist Jason Moran, dancer Damian Woetzel, mandolinist Chris Thile and composer Mason Bates will be the first artists crafting programs across artistic genres. (AP Photo/Dave Martin, File)FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2012 file photo, Jason Moran performs at the Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, R.I. The Kennedy Center in Washington is unveiling a new programming slate under its new president, including a performance series curated by leading artists and festivals celebrating Ireland and skateboarding culture. Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter is announcing plans Tuesday. Under her signature series, jazz pianist Jason Moran, dancer Damian Woetzel, mandolinist Chris Thile and composer Mason Bates will be the first artists crafting programs across artistic genres. (AP Photo/Joe Giblin, File)Giordano believes Flames can make playoffs without himhttp://o.canada.com/sports/giordano-believes-flames-can-make-playoffs-without-him
http://o.canada.com/sports/giordano-believes-flames-can-make-playoffs-without-him#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 19:08:53 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595363&preview_id=595363]]>CALGARY — Flames captain Mark Giordano isn’t giving up hope his team can make the NHL playoffs without him.

With the bill of his red ball cap pulled down over his eyes, Giordano spoke with local media Tuesday about the season-ending surgery he’ll undergo Wednesday to repair a torn left biceps tendon.

The Flames have been scrapping for playoff position in the tight Western Conference for weeks. They entered Tuesday’s game in Philadelphia in a three-way tie for third place in the Pacific Division standings.

Losing the NHL’s top-scoring defenceman is a hard blow to Calgary’s playoff aspirations. General manager Jim Treliving called the injury “devastating.”

The Flames haven’t made the post-season in five years. Giordano knows many will now write them off for the playoffs because of his absence “and I hate that it’s about that now.”

“You just look at our team, the way we’ve played all year, it’s been different guys stepping up on different nights,” he said.

Calgary’s few moves on Monday’s trade deadline day is proof management believes the team is playoff calibre and his teammates should feel confident, Giordano said.

“We believe in this team and I think you saw that at the deadline,” he said. “These are the guys who have sort of brought us here. I think the effort, the details will get us through.”

Giordano was injured in a Feb. 25 road game against the New Jersey Devils. He was hauled down in the third period by Devils forward Steve Bernier.

“I went to take a slapshot to clear the puck,” he recalled. “One of their player’s sticks sort of got wedged in between my back and my arm.

“When your force is going one way and it stops abruptly, this is one of the things that happens.

Giordano participated in pre-game warmups two days later, but didn’t play against the Islanders. He returned to Calgary while his team continued on a seven-game road trip concluding Sunday in Ottawa.

His rehabilitation will take four months. Giordano expects to be able to train hard in the summer and be ready for training camp next season. In the meantime, he’ll spend as much time with his teammates as he can.

“At game time, hopefully I can be in and out of the room as much as possible,” he said. “It’s going to be really tough to watch from the sidelines. I really want to be a part of these types of games.”

The 31-year-old Toronto native was having a season worthy of Norris Trophy consideration with 11 goals and 37 assists in 61 games at the time of his injury.

With their speed and agility, Giordano and defence partner T.J. Brodie generated offensive pressure at the blue-line that spurred many of Calgary’s late-game heroics this season.

Their exciting style of play combined with sitting in playoff contention with just a month left in the season makes this development hard to accept for the captain.

General manager Tim Connelly said in a statement Tuesday: “You won’t find a better guy than Brian and he is one of the brightest basketball minds I’ve ever been around. Unfortunately things didn’t go as we hoped, but we know with his basketball acumen that he has a very bright future ahead of him.”

Assistant coach Melvin Hunt will serve as interim coach.

Shaw went 56-85 for a .397 winning percentage. Denver takes a 20-39 record and a six-game losing streak into its game against Milwaukee on Tuesday night.

Shaw replaced George Karl, who was ousted after Denver won a franchise-record 57 games in 2012-13 only to be bounced from the first round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

The Stampeders announced the deal Tuesday, which is also Mitchell’s 25th birthday.

Mitchell’s first season as Calgary’s starter was a solid one. He completed 264 of 417 passes (63.3 per cent) for 3,389 yards with 22 TDs and eight interceptions.

He also rushed for 232 rushing yards and four touchdowns in posting a 13-2 record as the starter. Mitchell, a native of Katy, Tex., capped his season by leading Calgary past Hamilton 20-16 in the Grey Cup game, taking home MVP honours after completing 25 of 34 passes for 334 yards with an interception.

“Bo Levi has set the bar very high for himself after his performance last season but with his ability and determination,” Stampeders coach and general manager John Hufnagel said in a statement. “I believe he has room to grow and improve even more.

It wasn’t a slash or a trip, but rather a curling version of a friendly lovetap — and naturally with a broom instead of a hockey stick.

The Brad Jacobs team said tapping the foot of an opponent was a reminder for the player to get his knees off the ice after releasing the stone at the Canadian men’s curling championships. The incident occurred in Northern Ontario’s 7-3 win over Ontario’s Mark Kean on Monday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

In a statement released early Tuesday on the team’s Facebook page, the Jacobs rink said that “it was not done with any aggressive or intimidating intent” but to remind the player not to leave marks on the ice that can affect the movement of stones.

Ontario coach Bryan Cochrane was seen complaining to officials after a Northern Ontario sweeper rapped the foot of Ontario third Matt Camm after he delivered his rock. Curling Canada said the chief umpire had spoken with both teams and told them that issues should be addressed immediately with game umpires.

Kean, meanwhile, who’s making his Brier debut with one of the youngest teams in the field, was 2-3 after eight draws of play.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/team-jacobs-says-broom-tap-wasnt-meant-to-intimidate-opponent/feed0Brad JacobsthecanadianpressKessel: Toronto media should be embarrassed for treatment of Phaneufhttp://o.canada.com/sports/kessel-toronto-media-should-be-embarrassed-for-treatment-of-phaneuf
http://o.canada.com/sports/kessel-toronto-media-should-be-embarrassed-for-treatment-of-phaneuf#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 18:02:22 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595336&preview_id=595336]]>SUNRISE, Fla. — Phil Kessel is mad as hell about how Dion Phaneuf is treated by the Toronto media, and he’s not going to take it anymore.

Kessel offered a passionate defence of the Maple Leafs’ captain on Tuesday and said he was fed up with how certain media members talk about the team’s No. 1 defenceman.

“I think you guys unfairly criticize Dion,” Kessel said after the team’s morning skate at BB&T Center. “He’s our best defenceman, and you guys act like he’s not trying out there and this and that. It’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed for some people and things they’ve said about him.”

Kessel said there was no one thing that set him off on the rant about Phaneuf and that he was just “tired of it.” He said media members should be “ashamed” of what they’ve said to and about Phaneuf.

The star-right winger, who like Phaneuf is signed to a lucrative long-term contract, said there’s an unfair amount of blame put on the captain for the Leafs’ struggles.

“Is it his fault we’re losing? No. Did he build this team? No,” Kessel said. “It’s not Dion Phaneuf. The stuff he takes, the crap he takes, the things people say, I’m just tired of it here. I think he’s owed some apologies by some people. It’s disgusting the way people treat him.”

Phaneuf has three goals and 20 assists in 51 games, and is tops in scoring among Toronto defencemen since Cody Franson was traded.

In pre-trade-deadline comments last week in Toronto, Phaneuf said he and his teammates accepted the responsibility that comes with underachieving this season.

“When you do not meet expectations, then there’s going to be lots of questions,” Phaneuf said. “We have fell short to where we believe that we were as a team this year and we have not played well enough.”

Phaneuf did not speak to reporters following Kessel’s pointed comments as part of his most heated interview during his Leafs tenure.

“I think this city is a great hockey city and I love playing here,” Kessel said. “But some of the things that happen and Dion getting abused like he does and the things that are said about him — he’s our best defenceman. You watch him play, he plays hard every game for us. I’m just tired of him taking it.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/kessel-toronto-media-should-be-embarrassed-for-treatment-of-phaneuf/feed0Toronto Maple Leafs v New York IslandersthecanadianpressBig names not traded at deadline could still move in offseasonhttp://o.canada.com/sports/big-names-not-traded-at-deadline-could-still-move-in-offseason
http://o.canada.com/sports/big-names-not-traded-at-deadline-could-still-move-in-offseason#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 17:47:22 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595319&preview_id=595319]]>TORONTO — A deadline isn’t really a deadline when there’s time to spare.

For the Toronto Maple Leafs that meant no rush to trade captain Dion Phaneuf or star winger Phil Kessel and for the Carolina Hurricanes no hurry to trade Eric or Jordan Staal or Cam Ward by Monday afternoon. Rookie Carolina general manager Ron Francis said on a conference call he didn’t get a lot of interest in those players on deadline day.

“I think bigger contracts generally move in the off-season,” Nonis said at a news conference Monday. “That’s the way that it is now, and I think that’s the way it’s always going to be in the cap era.”

In the off-season, there’s less immediacy but more teams with salary-cap space who could enter the fray for bigger names. With that in mind, here are some players not traded at the deadline who are likely to be moved this off-season:

DION PHANEUF: As the Leafs cast off on a rebuilding effort, Phaneuf and the six years remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $7 million US probably don’t fit. Phaneuf could be better suited as a No. 2 or 3 defenceman with a lighter workload elsewhere.

JORDAN STAAL: Reports that the Penguins are interested in Staal make sense, considering former Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford is calling the shots in Pittsburgh. Still in his prime, Staal will be 27 in September and has seven seasons left with a cap hit of $6 million.

ERIC STAAL: The older Staal brother would be a one-year rental and a candidate to sign an extension with a contender. The 2006 Stanley Cup winner still has plenty left in the tank at 30 and showed this season he can excel on the wing as well as at centre.

PHIL KESSEL: If the Leafs win the Connor McDavid draft lottery, they might opt to keep the high-scoring right-winger who piles up the goals for $8 million a season. If they don’t and choose to stay the rebuilding course, Florida might love a 30-goal scorer to build around.

PATRICK SHARP: With new deals beginning for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane at matching cap hits of $10.5 million, the Blackhawks again have to shed some salary. Throw the rumours of dressing-room discord away: Trading Sharp would be a money move, and Chicago has the depth to do it.

NICKLAS GROSSMANN: Flyers GM Ron Hextall already traded one defenceman in Braydon Coburn, and Grossmann could be next given that he has just one year left on his contract. Philadelphia has to clear cap space and make room for prospects like Samuel Morin.

TYLER BOZAK: The centre has three more years left at a manageable $4.2 million cap hit and could be attractive to teams who see him in a second-line role. If restricted free agent Nazem Kadri gets a new contract in Toronto, it could spell the end for Bozak.

RYAN O’REILLY: A year away from hitting unrestricted free agency at the tender age of 25, O’Reilly could be headed for a raise beyond his $6 million annual cost. With Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon in the fold, the Colorado Avalanche could cash out on O’Reilly.

CAM WARD: Like with Eric Staal, Ward has a year left on his contract and isn’t likely part of the future in Carolina. Getting McDavid might change things, but with Anton Khudobin an established NHL goalie, Ward could be an interesting trade possibility for a lot of teams.

COLIN GREENING: The Ottawa Senators forward has two years left at a cap hit of just under $2.3 million. GM Bryan Murray tried to find a taker for him at the deadline, but the team might have to retain salary and hope someone sees potential in the 28-year-old Greening.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/big-names-not-traded-at-deadline-could-still-move-in-offseason/feed0Eric StaalthecanadianpressToronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf might be a better fit as No. 2 or 3 defenceman elsewhere. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press) Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon make Ryan O'Reilly expendable in Colorado. (Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)Manipulations, shortcuts and other parental quick fixeshttp://o.canada.com/life/parenting/manipulations-shortcuts-and-other-parental-quick-fixes
http://o.canada.com/life/parenting/manipulations-shortcuts-and-other-parental-quick-fixes#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 17:45:01 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=595045]]>Many parents of young children will attest to the fact that so much of what we do can be attributed to one central motivating factor: we want to keep things moving along. And in our day-to-day travails, we’re often left feeling uncertain as to whether the actions we’ve taken we’re necessarily the “right” ones.

There’s always that tension between what we ought to be doing and what, in those moments when we’re struggling, might offer us the quickest way out. Many parents find themselves occasionally going the easier route, even if they may not be too quick to admit it for fear of facing judgment and criticism.

Many of us have indulged our kids to stop a tantrum. We’ve bribed them with treats, or played with their emotions in order to get them to do something we needed them to do. We’re not proud of it; but when the alternative is a 30-minute standoff, we’ll gladly break the rules. Just this time, we’ll allow ourselves an exception; next time, we promise to endure the worst of it and be late for wherever we needed to be.

Mind tricks, manipulations and bribery

As definitive proof that my wife and I are not alone in these occasional transgressions, I found an article from Melanie Pinola at Lifehacker called “How to manipulate kids into doing what you want.” It’s full of just the sort of shortcuts we’ve sometimes been guilty of doing ourselves.

False choices: This classic technique is remarkably effective. If your child won’t do something you want them to do – get dressed, eat their dinner, put away their toys, et cetera – then you give them the “choice” between doing the desired thing and choosing a far less palatable option. You can finish your dinner and get dessert, or you can leave the table and go straight to bed. You can pick your own clothes, or I’m going to pick something I know you won’t like.

Sneaking healthy food: Our youngest daughter is remarkably picky. We keep trying to introduce new foods into her diet, but it’s a constant struggle to get her to eat properly. Thankfully, there’s a popular shortcut for this: sneaking healthy food she wouldn’t otherwise eat into food she likes. Occasionally, she’ll notice and spit everything out. But other times, it works. You get her to eat her spinach, even if she doesn’t know she’s eating it.

Knowing their strengths/weaknesses: “Manipulation is all about knowing what makes people tick and using that to your advantage,” says Pinola. “Parenting is similar, only you use it to both your and the child’s benefit.” In other words, if you need your child to do something they don’t want to do, sometimes you can coax them into it by promising something they really like (a TV show, candy or activity) as a reward.

“Good-bye! See you later!” This is a favourite of ours, whenever our oldest daughter is taking her precious time getting ready to leave daycare. If begging her to sit down and get her jacket and boots on won’t work, we sometimes leave the room and tell her we’re going home. Nothing gets her co-operating faster than the threat of being left behind at home or daycare. It’s a bit mean, but remarkably effective.

Bribery:There have been times when we’ve simply indulged our kids in order to keep things moving. Once, our 19 month old flatly refused to get into her car seat. She struggled, squirmed and screamed, making it impossible for us to buckle her in. So after about 15 minutes of failing to get her to sit down and calm down, my wife pulled out a piece of chocolate. We’re totally not supposed to do that, I know; and we vowed never to do it again. And yet, in the moment, it did the trick.

In the name of expediency

Typically, we’re able to explain the things we do – those petty manipulations and shortcuts – by telling ourselves that the end justifies the means. If you need to get everyone out the door in the morning, everything becomes subordinate to that all-important goal. If you want your kid to eat their dinner, you need to ensure that happens. If your toddler refuses to sit in their car seat, you need to find a way to make them sit down, or else you’re never going to get anywhere.

But while these quick fixes may solve a problem in the moment, they’re not addressing root causes. And in the meantime, you may be setting yourself up for the wrong expectations and behaviour in future. You don’t want to teach them to do the right things for the wrong reasons. That chocolate indulgence (a one-off, I swear!) was extremely risky, because our child could have come to expect a reward just for sitting calmly in her seat.

Ultimately, writes Dana Tuffelmire, motivation is better than manipulation. Our manipulations and shortcuts fail to teach them the right lessons about gaining independence and taking responsibility. It’s not allowing them the chance to learn things and take pride in their abilities and independence. We should motivate our kids to want to pitch in, or learn to do things all by themselves; it shouldn’t be about what we might give them or take away in response.

It essentially comes down to this: if you do something to get yourself out of a jam once in a while, that’s fine. But these quick fixes should always be the exceptions to our parenting habits, never the rule.

In spring, there is no such thing as too much rain protection. With weeks of wet weather likely still ahead, we can think of a few reasons to invest in more waterproof items. Here are five picks that will help keep you dry in style.

GONE FISHIN’

Humboldt raincoat. [Trout Rainwear]

Founded in 2013 by a trio of Canadian gals after returning from stints in New York and London, Trout Rainwear’s jackets are designed in Toronto and made in Vancouver. Their third season includes styles for men and children, all fully waterproof, all named after a species of trout. Our fave: this cheerful ‘Humboldt’ style.

The multiplatinum country singer gave birth to Isaiah Michael Fisher on Friday, and on Tuesday, she announced it to the world on Twitter. She posted a picture of Isaiah, showing his tiny hand and a bit of his mouth.

Twitter screen capture.

He’s the first child for Underwood, 31, and her husband, Mike Fisher, who plays for the Nashville Predators.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/underwood-fisher-welcome-baby-boy/feed0Lockout throws wrench into Underwood's planstheassociatedpresscanadaTwitter screen capture.Toronto FC revamps yet again in latest push to make MLS playoffshttp://o.canada.com/sports/toronto-fc-revamps-yet-again-in-latest-push-to-make-mls-playoffs
http://o.canada.com/sports/toronto-fc-revamps-yet-again-in-latest-push-to-make-mls-playoffs#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 16:57:49 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595292&preview_id=595292]]>Another season, another overhaul for Toronto FC. But this time there seems method to the madness.

Toronto GM Tim Bezbatchenko and manager Greg Vanney appear to have bought wisely in replacing them, dipping deep into the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment coffers to assemble one of the costliest rosters in MLS history.

Star midfielder Michael Bradley has been handed the captain’s armband and the keys to a franchise desperate for success. Early signs are Toronto has got a serious upgrade in skill, savvy and experience.

Newcomer Sebastian Giovinco, a pint-sized Italian star full of pace, vision and guile, will be the schemer in attack.

Hard-nosed Polish international Damien Perquis joins former skipper Steven Caldwell in a centre-back pairing with edge and experience. French veteran Benoit Cheyrou is a silky smooth midfielder with Champions League pedigree. And U.S. international striker Jozy Altidore looks to resurrect his club career after a disappointing spell with Sunderland.

There is also more depth with the acquisition of defender Eriq Zavaleta and midfielder Marky Delgado, rookie goalie Alex Bono (pronounced Bow-noh) and midfielder Jay Chapman, a talented homegrown player, among others.

“We feel good about the group that we have,” said Bradley. “We’re improved, there’s no two ways about that. But we also understand that that doesn’t guarantee us anything.”

Toronto will bid to finally make the playoffs in a new-look Eastern Conference, with Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo moving west to make space for expansion teams Orlando City SC and New York City FC.

Six teams instead of five will make the post-season from each conference, opening the playoff door a little wider.

Toronto will have to survive a brutal opening, however. Renovations to BMO Field mean the team will have to play its first eight games on the road with the home opener not scheduled until May 10.

The flip side is Toronto plays 10 of its last 14 games at home.

Vanney offered a look at his strongest 11 in the final pre-season game in Florida.

Joe Bendik started in goal behind a back four of Justin Morrow, Perquis, Caldwell and Warren Creavalle. Bradley and Cheyrou were flanked by Robbie Findley and Canadian Jonathan Osorio with Giovinco behind Altidore in a 4-4-2 with a midfield diamond.

At times, it resembled a 4-3-3 with Giovinco surging up the middle flanked by Altidore and Findley in a three-pronged attack.

Fullbacks Morrow and Creavalle stationed themselves on the touchline, often in advance of their midfielders, leaving room for Cheyrou and Osorio to move in and out.

It’s a fluid formation that offers options. And with Giovinco, Findley and Altidore showing off one-touch football and Bradley and Cheyrou pulling the strings, it promises attractive offence.

“It’s an exciting group to be a part of. Absolutely,” said Altidore.

Vanney says timing is key, with players having to move off each other and read movement.

“I think it’s just a glimpse of what’s to come as the group starts to get more comfortable with each other and the connections start to really come about,” he said.

The formation is not cast in stone, with players adapting to take advantage of what’s on offer.

“We’re going to have the ability to be dangerous in a lot of different ways,” said Bradley.

The five-foot-four Giovinco has been tasked with set pieces, with Bradley a more than capable option. Giovinco offers a reliable and accurate delivery that comes in with such pace that even his own players have had to adapt to it.

Having the Atomic Ant take set pieces also allows the six-foot-two Bradley to help add to the mayhem in the opposition penalty box.

Toronto’s depth will be tested in July with Bradley, Altidore and Osorio, among others, likely lost to the Gold Cup.

With an 11-15-8 record in 2014, Toronto missed the playoffs for the eighth straight year since joining the league in 2007. Vanney became the club’s ninth manager when Ryan Nelsen was fired in late August with the club at 9-9-6.

On the plus side, Toronto set franchise records for wins (11) and points (41).

Toronto has 18,000 season tickets and hopes to reach 19,000 by opening day. Still the early arrival of Giovinco, who was originally meant to come in July, means the team will be slightly in the red this season despite 8,000 new seats upping stadium capacity to 30,000.

The trick to making a nutritious breakfast a daily habit is never being more than 60 seconds away from something healthy. Because in the morning rush, it’s too easy to grab something unhealthy.

Lately, my go-to quick and healthy choice has been oat pudding, mostly because my kids love it. But I also like the staying power the complex carbs and fibre have to keep us feeling full. Oats or oatmeal (plain, not the flavoured quickie pouches), are on just about every list of heart healthy foods, as it has a nice dose of both soluble and insoluble fibres. Oats also bring a few grams of protein to the party, while having less than a gram of sugar.

Even non-instant rolled oats are really only a few minutes away from being cooked into the iconic breakfast porridge I grew up eating (at the insistence of my grandma). But sometimes 5 minutes feels about 4 minutes too long, at least at our house. And more to the point, my family doesn’t all love oatmeal as much as I learned to.

Oat pudding solves these problems. And more.

Oat pudding is made the night before (and only takes a few minutes), and can be customized to your tastes. It’s easy to add almond butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, berries, cinnamon, applesauce, fresh or frozen fruit, shaved coconut, or whatever else you enjoy.

The key is to mix about equal parts oats and liquid, add the flavourings, then let the pudding rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 48 hours. Pull the pudding out of the fridge, top with any extras (like fruit, nuts, honey or maple syrup) and enjoy. Or pop in the microwave for a minute for a warm pudding.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk and jam until smooth. Add the chia seeds, vanilla, chocolate chips and oats and mix until well blended. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. To serve, top with toasted almonds.

]]>http://o.canada.com/life/food-drink/the-healthy-plate-recipe-for-overnight-cherry-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-pudding/feed0Oat pudding is made the night before (and only takes a few minutes), and can be customized to your tastes.theassociatedpresscanadaPhotos March 3: Top images from around the worldhttp://o.canada.com/technology/photos-march-3-top-images-from-around-the-world
http://o.canada.com/technology/photos-march-3-top-images-from-around-the-world#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 16:25:01 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=595266]]>The day’s best photos, as selected by editors at Postmedia News, are a stunning collection of the greatest images from around the world.

View of the Volcano Villarrica in southern Chile which began erupting on March 03, 2015 forcing the evacuation of some 3,000 people in nearby villages, the government said. FRANCISCO NEGRONI/AFP/Getty Images

A helicopter water bombs fire in the Tokai Forest near Cape Town, South Africa. A wildfire continues to burn across the city’s southern peninsula Tuesday, March 3, 2015 after breaking out Sunday with firefighting re-enforcements being flown in to assist with battling the blaze (AP Photo/Mark Wessels)

A boy sits on a pavement outside their burnt home following an overnight fire that razed a slum dwellers community Tuesday in Manila, Philippines. No casualties were reported in the 9-hour fire that razed more than a thousand homes and rendered at least 3,000 families. March is declared “Fire Prevention Month” throughout the country. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

People stand at the coffin of Boris Nemtsov during a burial ceremony at Troekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow, Russia. One by one, thousands of mourners and dignitaries filed past the white-lined coffin of slain Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov on Tuesday, many offering flowers as they paid their last respects to one of the most prominent figures of Russia’s beleaguered opposition. (AP Photo/Denis Tyrin)

Relatives comfort each other near the grave of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov during a burial ceremony at Moscow’s Troekurovskoye cemetery. DMITRY SEREBRYAKOV/AFP/Getty Images

Student protesters wearing traditional Burmese hats shout slogans during a sit-in in Letpadan, north of Yangon, Myanma. Hundreds of police have formed a human chain around student protesters staging a sit-in on a road Tuesday after being blocked from marching to Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city, to scrap a newly passed education law that they say curbs academic freedom. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)

A Chinese military band rehearses before the opening session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People. The more than 2,000 members of China’s top legislative advisory body convened their annual meeting Tuesday, kicking off a political high season that will continue with the opening of the national congress later in the week. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Indian widows dance as they celebrate Holi or “festival of colors” in Vrindavan. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images

A Hindu widow lies on a sludgy ground filled with a mixture of colored powder, water and flower petals during celebrations to mark Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

A woman poses inside the mockup of a car at the Opel booth during the press day of the Geneva Car Show in Geneva. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

]]>http://o.canada.com/technology/photos-march-3-top-images-from-around-the-world/feed0Chile Volcano Eruptionpostmedianews1View of the Volcano Villarrica in southern Chile which began erupting on March 03, 2015 forcing the evacuation of some 3,000 people in nearby villages, the government said. FRANCISCO NEGRONI/AFP/Getty ImagesA helicopter water bombs fire in the Tokai Forest near Cape Town, South Africa. A wildfire continues to burn across the city's southern peninsula Tuesday, March 3, 2015 after breaking out Sunday with firefighting re-enforcements being flown in to assist with battling the blaze (AP Photo/Mark Wessels)A boy sits on a pavement outside their burnt home following an overnight fire that razed a slum dwellers community Tuesday in Manila, Philippines. No casualties were reported in the 9-hour fire that razed more than a thousand homes and rendered at least 3,000 families. March is declared "Fire Prevention Month" throughout the country. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)People stand at the coffin of Boris Nemtsov during a burial ceremony at Troekurovskoye cemetery in Moscow, Russia. One by one, thousands of mourners and dignitaries filed past the white-lined coffin of slain Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov on Tuesday, many offering flowers as they paid their last respects to one of the most prominent figures of Russia's beleaguered opposition. (AP Photo/Denis Tyrin)Relatives comfort each other near the grave of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov during a burial ceremony at Moscow's Troekurovskoye cemetery. DMITRY SEREBRYAKOV/AFP/Getty ImagesStudent protesters wearing traditional Burmese hats shout slogans during a sit-in in Letpadan, north of Yangon, Myanma. Hundreds of police have formed a human chain around student protesters staging a sit-in on a road Tuesday after being blocked from marching to Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, to scrap a newly passed education law that they say curbs academic freedom. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)A Chinese military band rehearses before the opening session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing's Great Hall of the People. The more than 2,000 members of China's top legislative advisory body convened their annual meeting Tuesday, kicking off a political high season that will continue with the opening of the national congress later in the week. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)Indian widows dance as they celebrate Holi or "festival of colors" in Vrindavan. Widows congregated on a small patio of the ashram in which they live and danced and played with colored powder to celebrate the occasion. The widows of this and other ashrams in this northern town are sponsored by the NGO, Sulabh International which funds most of their needs. Shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition, many Indian widows have been otracized from society and no longer live with their families and are forced to beg for food. ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty ImagesA Hindu widow lies on a sludgy ground filled with a mixture of colored powder, water and flower petals during celebrations to mark Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at the Meera Sahabhagini Widow Ashram in Vrindavan. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)A woman poses inside the mockup of a car at the Opel booth during the press day of the Geneva Car Show in Geneva. FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty ImagesMedals for Pan American Games incorporate Braille for the first timehttp://o.canada.com/sports/medals-for-pan-american-games-incorporate-braille-for-the-first-time
http://o.canada.com/sports/medals-for-pan-american-games-incorporate-braille-for-the-first-time#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 16:23:52 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595268&preview_id=595268]]>TORONTO — They’re crafted from metal mined in three different countries across the Americas, and embossed with Braille.

The gold, silver and bronze medals for this summer’s Pan American Games, unveiled at a ceremony Tuesday at the Royal Ontario Museum, represent unity and diversity, organizers say.

They’re the diameter of a softball and as heavy as a can of soup, and the back of the medals reads “Toronto 2015″ in English, Spanish and Braille –marking the first time the tactile writing system used by the blind has been incorporated in medals for both abled-bodied and Paralympic athletes at a major Games.

“It says something about what we think of people with disabilities in Canada,” said Elisabeth Walker-Young, a four-time Paralympian and Canada’s chef de mission for the Parapan Am Games. “And all through sport. . .who knew right? That we could do something so almost political. . .

“It’s really going to set a precedent I think for anybody who’s looking to host again, whether it’s an Olympic Games or a Commonwealth Games, or another Pan Am Games.”

The medals were produced by the Royal Canadian Mint and the metal supplied by Toronto-based Barrick Gold Corporation from three of its operations across the Americas — the gold from its Hemlo mine in Ontario, the silver from its Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic and the copper from the Zalvidar mine in Chile.

“Beautiful, truly beautiful,” said Mark Tewksbury, an Olympic gold medallist in swimming. “And very symbolic, I think Canada did such an interesting job of making our medals so representative of us as a country. The inclusion of Braille is hugely significant. It speaks to that real inclusion, ‘united we play,’ that whole idea behind Toronto 2015.”

The Mint used an ancient technique called ‘mokume gane’ which fuses different alloys making each of the some-4,200 medals unique. The medals have three layered ovals to represent the three Pan American regions.

“When I first saw them, I got goosebumps, it was one of those moments where it made this moment a little more real, it gave it some tangibility I guess,” said Curt Harnett, an Olympic cycling medallist and Canada’s chef de mission for the Pan Am Games.

“The thought that went into bringing metals from across the Americas into these medals. . .and incorporating Braille, is really going to provide a special emblem for the athletes that are fortunate enough to make the podium.

“For myself, a little jealous that I’m not going to be able to earn one, on the podium at a home Games.”

Tewksbury expressed similar sentiments.

“It’s really weird, as an athlete I still got a little nervous looking at the medals, and I just go ‘Wait a minute, you’re not going to win one of these, chill dude,”‘ Tewksbury said. “(A medal) is the representation of years of work. The medals I have, I look at them now and it’s been decades since I’ve won a medal, but it reminds me of what it took to get them.”

The medals for the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games are identical except for the ribbon colour: blue and green for the Pan Am medals, orange and red for the Parapan Am medals. Walker-Young said that, plus the incorporation of Braille, and the fact the Pan Ams and Parapan Ams share the same mascot — Pachi the porcupine — speaks of the inclusiveness of the Toronto 2015.

“It’s history making,” she said. “And if athletes in the Pan Am Games are able to go to a school and there happens to be a child with a disability or visual impairment there and they get to feel it and actually read where these Games happened, who knows how much that can inspire them. So it’s just kind of a whole story, it’s more than just the Games, it’s a bigger, broader, worldly, and I’m thrilled to tell more people about that.”

The Pan Am Games run in southern Ontario from July 10 to 26 while the Parapan Ams are Aug. 7-15.

Don’t bother checking out your Sunday Ticket, though. This is not football the teams are playing, it’s tag.

Monday was the deadline for franchises to decide whether to hold onto key players who are pending free agents by giving them the franchise or transition tag. The alternative: letting them hit the open market on March 10.

A lot more goes into tagging than simply wanting to hold on to a standout or a budding star. There’s nearly as much game-planning for it as there is for an opponent during the season.

Teams ask themselves:

–What position does he play and how much is the tag for that position?

–Should we use the exclusive franchise tag, when no other team can approach the player? Or go with the non-exclusive, allowing other teams to pursue the player, but with the original team able to match any offer, or decline and gain two first-round draft picks?

–Should we go with the lower transition tag, in which other teams can set the market for a player and if the contract is not matched, there is no compensation when the player walks?

–What is our salary cap situation? Does it make sense to commit so much money to one player? Is he that much of a difference maker?

This year, the Lions decided not to tag Ndamukong Suh, an All-Pro defensive tackle and, when on his game, a wrecking ball on the field. Among the reasons could be his penchant for unacceptable on-field behaviour — there’s always the chance Suh could go off during a game and wind up with a suspension for his actions.

More likely, Detroit looked at the salary cap implications of tagging Suh for nearly a $27-million US cap hit because of his previous contract restructuring. The Lions felt adding to the huge price tags on receiver Calvin Johnson and quarterback Matthew Stafford would preclude the team from improvements in several other areas.

No team wants to commit more than 30 per cent of its cap spending to three players — unless those players have won championships for the franchise. Most teams prefer to stay under 25 per cent for its top three players. Stafford has a salary cap hit of $17.7 million in 2015, and Johnson is at $20.5 million.

Detroit still might sign Suh to a long-term deal, and it could avoid the hefty one-year cap hit with some creativity over a span of a few seasons. That room for creativity doesn’t exist with franchise-tagged players.

Kansas City bit hard and put the non-exclusive tag on linebacker Justin Houston. Except Houston might want to be considered a defensive end: the tag at that position is nearly $1.7 million higher.

While the Chiefs negotiate with Houston’s agents, they also must find ways to trim salaries. That shouldn’t be too difficult; much harder will be dealing with a potentially long holdout by Houston if the sides can’t agree on which position the league’s leading sackmaster plays. And how much he is worth.

The Giants had an easier decision in franchising defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. When healthy and motivated, he’s a force, as his 12 1/2 sacks and 21 quarterback hits for a weak defence showed in 2014. He also had 16 1/2 sacks in 2011, and is only 26.

With Steve Spagnuolo returning as defensive co-ordinator, New York will build again around the pass rush. Pierre-Paul is the foundation.

Denver also had little choice with tagging receiver Demaryius Thomas at $12.823 million. With Peyton Manning likely to return this season, the Broncos had no option but to keep his top target — particularly with tight end Julius Thomas and wideout Wes Welker unsigned.

It’s also more probable the Broncos can get a long-term deal done with Thomas — the deadline is July 15 — and they have some flexibility under the salary cap, with around $150 million available thanks to unspent carryover money from 2014.

Dallas, as expected, tagged its All-Pro receiver, Dez Bryant. The Cowboys are in a tight spot because they have little manoeuvrability for 2015 if they can’t get a long-term agreement with Bryant. Failing to do so could mean losing AP Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray, the league’s top running back — just when the Cowboys have become a championship threat again.

Before I get to the recipe, I need a timeout to do something for Michael, my husband. He asked me to thank Washington Post Food for allowing me to write for the section, because now I’ll take notes on what I cook, and I’ll write for-real recipes. That means that when I make something he loves — and he loved this chicken-and-sweet-potato dish — I might actually be able to make the same thing again. The important word here is “might,” because I’m an incorrigible tinkerer.

I’m the kind of cook who goes to the market with a list and returns with everything but what was on it. It takes only one beautiful squash, apple or bunch of herbs to make me change my plans. Even when I’m at the stove, there’s no guarantee that I won’t turn things topsy-turvy at the last minute. It’s what happened over and over with this recipe, and I’ll be surprised if you don’t end up playing around with it, too.

The inspiration for the dish is hachis Parmentier, the French version of shepherd’s pie. For the classic, the base is chopped beef (“hachis” means minced) and the top, the Parmentier part, is mashed potatoes. In the culinary lexicon, Parmentier always signals potatoes, an homage to Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who championed the nutritiousness of spuds in late 18th-century France, his native land, where farmers were forbidden to grow them for fear that they caused leprosy.

I can imagine celebrations in the streets of Paris when, in 1772, the Faculty of Medicine declared the white potato edible. And I can imagine hachis Parmentier being created just minutes later, because it’s one of the tastiest ways to make a meal out of leftovers or inexpensive cuts of meat.

My version of the Parmentier depends less on leftovers and more on what’s in the fridge. The core ingredients are the chicken — I use thighs, but you can use other parts — and the sausage: chicken (my choice) or pork, spiced or plain. The chicken is not hachis-ed, but cut into morsels, and the sausage is broken up, so you get different textures in the dish. As for the vegetables, here’s where the tinkering takes off. I’ve given you a recipe for a medley using onion, carrots, parsnips, celery and kale or spinach, but if you’ve got something else or want to keep adding vegetables, I say do it.

Recently, I made this dish with the standards plus cubed turnips (they added a nice bitterness to the mix), cubed butternut squash, leeks (left over from soup) and bottled chestnuts (they’d been lurking in the cupboard since Thanksgiving). I used chard and curly kale, because that’s what I had, and I was tempted to add fennel, but I was in danger of a pot-runneth-over crisis.

As for the spices, I started using garam masala with this dish when a friend gave me some. From there, it was just a hop, skip and jump to adding curry powder, turmeric for colour and star anise because I’m crazy about it. But the chicken-vegetable-and-potato combo would take to fresh herbs. Think parsley, thyme, bay leaf and maybe even a little tarragon; to tagine-like spices such as cinnamon, ginger and saffron; or to something American Southwest spicy, such as chili powder, a jalapeno and maybe a drizzle of honey to soften it all.

And then there are the potatoes. I went contra-Parmentier and used sweet potatoes, but if you prefer whites, hey, it’s your dish. And if, like me, you can’t resist running with an idea (sorry, Michael), do what I’ve often done: Cook celery root along with the sweets, and mash them together.

Tinker. Fiddle around. Have fun.

CHICKEN PARMENTIER

6 servings

MAKE AHEAD: The chicken and mashed sweet potatoes can be cooked (separately), cooled and refrigerated a day in advance. The casserole(s) can be assembled, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. The baked casseroles can be reheated, covered, in a conventional or microwave oven.

Pour 1/2 tablespoon of the oil into a large skillet (chose one with a lid, or find a plate to use as a cover) over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the sausage. Cook, stirring and mashing with a wooden spoon to break up any clumps, until the meat is cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet and stir to dislodge any browned bits; let it come to a boil. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a bowl. Drain off any remaining water and return the skillet to medium heat.

Pour in 1 tablespoon of the oil and, when hot, add the chicken. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Use the slotted spoon to transfer the chicken to the bowl with the sausage. Season the chicken and sausage lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet (over medium heat). Toss in the onion, garlic, ginger, carrots, parsnips and celery, stirring to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, garam masala, turmeric and points of star anise. Return the chicken and sausage to the skillet; pour in the broth. Give the mixture a good stir, cover and cook over medium-low heat (you want to keep the broth slightly bubbling) for about 10 minutes. Taste, and add salt and/or pepper as needed. Turn off the heat, stir in the kale or spinach and, once again, taste for salt and pepper. Pull out and discard the points of star anise. Let cool.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop in the sweet potatoes and cook until soft enough to mash against the side of the pot, about 20 minutes. Drain them well, transfer to a bowl and mash until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, which will make any spillover cleanup a snap. Place a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, casserole or souffle dish, or individual gratin dishes (not low-walled) on the sheet.

Spoon the chicken-vegetable mixture into the baking dish or divide evenly among the gratin dishes. Top with the mashed sweet potatoes; I usually spoon them over and give them a swirl with the back of a spoon, but if you’d like, you can pipe the potatoes (put them in a zip-top bag, seal and snip off a corner) in a spiral or concentric circles. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are browned and, most important, the juices are bubbling. You’ll see them burbling up around the edges of the baking dish.

]]>http://o.canada.com/life/food-drink/ad-lib-your-way-to-french-shepherds-pie/feed0Dorie Greenspan's version of the Parmentier depends less on leftovers and more on what's in the fridge.washingtonpostcanadacomMaloney hopes busy deadline fast-tracks Coyotes rebuilding projecthttp://o.canada.com/sports/maloney-hopes-busy-deadline-fast-tracks-coyotes-rebuilding-project
http://o.canada.com/sports/maloney-hopes-busy-deadline-fast-tracks-coyotes-rebuilding-project#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 15:54:17 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595241&preview_id=595241]]>By the start of next season, the Arizona Coyotes could have a line full of Canadian world junior stars.

They acquired Anthony Duclair from the New York Rangers on Sunday to compliment top prospect Max Domi and will have a good chance of winning the lottery to draft Connor McDavid.

“Well, if we were playing the world next year I would be pretty confident,” general manager Don Maloney said. “But we’re playing against men next year.”

That quip aside, the Coyotes are well on their way to a youthful rebuild after a handful of moves leading up to Monday’s trade deadline. In dealing away defencemen Keith Yandle and Zbynek Michalek, centre Antoine Vermette, a minor-leaguer and a couple of third-round picks, Arizona netted Duclair, a first-round pick in each of the next two drafts, a 2015 second-rounder, defenceman John Moore and prospects Klas Dahlbeck and Maxim Letunov.

The hope is that selling high on those veterans makes the Coyotes competitive again sooner rather than later.

“I certainly think it fast-tracks us back to respectability,” Maloney said on a conference call. “There’s still a timeline here, but we’re excited.”

Excitement should be tempered by the notion that the 2015-16 Coyotes could be just as bad as this season’s group. Even taking out the pending free agents who had to be dealt, Yandle is no small departure from the blue-line, and it’s unfair to count on Domi and Duclair to be miracle workers as NHL rookies.

But the draft is a source of hope for the Coyotes, who are on track to pick no later than fifth. Even if McDavid, Jack Eichel, Noah Hanifin and Dylan Strome are gone, they could end up with Domi’s London Knights teammate Mitchell Marner or Lawson Crouse, who also won gold for Canada at the world juniors.

Given the track of this season, which includes an ongoing nine-game losing streak, Arizona stands a good chance of getting McDavid or Eichel.

“There’s a pretty big reward being a bad team this year coming in the draft, and we know that,” Maloney said. “There’s a couple of those players at the top of the draft I believe will be playing in the NHL next year.”

In total, the Coyotes have two first-rounders, two second-rounders and two third-rounders in this year’s draft and two first-rounders and a second in 2016. Those aren’t guarantees of success but represent more chances to stockpile for the future.

“We’re not sitting here saying ‘Well, we have four first-round picks in the next two years and a number of seconds and thirds, that every one of those players are going to be on our roster in two years.’ That doesn’t work,” Maloney said. “Generally those picks are, in the best-case scenario, two or three years out. And that’s very best-case scenario.”

That leaves Domi, Duclair and other young players like forwards Lucas Lessio, Tobias Rieder and Henrik Samuelsson and defencemen Dahlbeck, Brandon Gormley and Philip Samuelsson to fill the gap for now.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/maloney-hopes-busy-deadline-fast-tracks-coyotes-rebuilding-project/feed0CANADA_SWEDEN_219458262thecanadianpressVernon Wells shares experience with Blue Jays as guest coachhttp://o.canada.com/sports/vernon-wells-shares-experience-with-blues-jays-as-guest-coach
http://o.canada.com/sports/vernon-wells-shares-experience-with-blues-jays-as-guest-coach#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 15:43:07 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595236&preview_id=595236]]>DUNEDIN, Fla. — Former outfielder Vernon Wells was back in uniform for the Blue Jays on Tuesday, this time as a guest coach.

With Toronto looking to 22-year-old Canadian Dalton Pompey to fill the void in centre field, Wells’ three-day coaching stint this week should pay dividends.

“I think he’s kind of in position right now where it’s kind of his spot to lose,” said Wells. “With that mentality, you’ve kind of got to go out and try to dominate every day. I’ve been in that position and it’s a fun position to be in, but you can’t take for granted the work that you need to put in to excel.

“It’s not a matter of winning this job. It’s a matter of trying to be the best centre-fielder you can be in the American League.”

Wells, 36, believes players get to the major leagues quicker these years, perhaps missing some teaching as a result.

He cites Carlos Delgado as one of his mentors, helping educate him about hitters and pitchers.

In working with young players, Wells can draw on his own experience. Just 20 when he made the majors in 1999, he says he thought he had it all figured out.

“I got sent down (the next year) and I pouted pretty much all of 2000, which wasn’t the right way to handle it,” he said.

He was demoted again the next year, but handled it better when he realized it was more about the number of outfielders Toronto had.

“So for me, going through the year of the struggle was good,” he said. “I tell kids now … it’s not a matter of failure, you’re going to fail. It’s how you respond to that failure is what kind of defines you as a person, as an athlete.”

Wells called Pompey “a good kid” who is willing to learn.

“For him, it’s just going to be a matter of ‘Relax. Absorb the information that’s coming to you. And try to make it work as quick as possible.”‘

Wells was released by the Yankees in January 2014 with one year left on the $126-million US, seven-year contract he signed with the Jays prior to the 2008 season.

He says continuing his career was “talked about, prayed about” before deciding to be a stay-at-home dad. He has missed the three hours of game play each day but not much else.

Wells, who still looks like he’s in game shape, finished with a .270 career batting average, 270 home runs and 958 RBIs in a 15-year, 1,731-game career that included brief stops with the Angels and Yankees after 12 seasons with the Jays.

“It’s good to have this uniform back on,” Wells said of his Jays’ blue. “Unfortunately I had to take it off for a few years but it’s good to be back here.”

Away from baseball, Wells says he is busier than ever these days thanks to the Vernon Wells Perfect 10 non-profit organization he and wife Charlene established to help children in need.

“My wife’s schedule, it’s impressive,” he said.

Based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, he also coaches their nine and 12-year-old sons’ baseball teams.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/vernon-wells-shares-experience-with-blues-jays-as-guest-coach/feed0PJT-Jays-12.jpgthecanadianpressAlonso out of season-opening Australian GP after crash during testinghttp://o.canada.com/sports/alonso-out-of-season-opening-australian-gp-after-crash-during-testing
http://o.canada.com/sports/alonso-out-of-season-opening-australian-gp-after-crash-during-testing#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 15:12:20 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595223&preview_id=595223]]>LONDON — Fernando Alonso will not race in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix following a crash during Formula One testing that sent him to the hospital for three days, McLaren said Tuesday.

The decision was taken to avoid the chance of Alonso having another concussion — second-impact syndrome — following the accident at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit last month, the team said in a statement.

McLaren maintained that Alonso’s doctors “see no evidence whatsoever of any injury, and that they therefore describe him as entirely healthy from neurological and cardiac perspectives.”

Reserve driver Kevin Magnussen will take Alonso’s place in the March 15 race in Melbourne.

“It was not expected,” Magnussen’s manager, Dorte Riis Madsen, told TV2 in Denmark. “It is a great chance that Kevin wants to use.”

McLaren expects Alonso to be back racing again for the Malaysian Grand Prix on March 29.

“Fernando’s doctors acknowledge that he feels fit and well, and that he regards himself as ready to race, and, that being the case, they are comfortable with the fact that he has already recommenced physical training,” McLaren said.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/alonso-out-of-season-opening-australian-gp-after-crash-during-testing/feed0AUTO-PRIX-ALONSO-MCLAREN-AUS-FILEStheassociatedpresscanadaCanada’s lousy winter about to become a spring of brutal weatherhttp://o.canada.com/news/weather/canadas-lousy-winter-about-to-become-a-spring-of-brutal-weather
http://o.canada.com/news/weather/canadas-lousy-winter-about-to-become-a-spring-of-brutal-weather#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 14:33:35 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=595210]]>Forget Wiarton Willie and all the other prognosticating rodents, here’s someone new to hate when it comes to the lousy weather we’re having – especially in eastern Canada: The Weather Network!

Sure, never blame the weatherman for the weather, but we’re running out of targets!

The network says bitter cold and record snowfalls that have made this a tough winter across most of the country means spring weather will be a while in coming.

Chief meteorologist Chris Scott says the network’s spring outlook is calling for a colder-than-normal month of March from Alberta and all points east.

He says heavy snowpacks in parts of the country plus heavy ice cover across the Great Lakes will help keep temperatures below seasonal averages.

That ice is going to take a while to melt

Scott says British Columbia is expected to be the only province to buck the trend, with an unusually mild winter giving way to an early spring in that province.

He says occasional bursts of warm air from the U.S. will inject some variety into the overall weather trends, but he’s more than usually certain of this season’s long-range forecast.

The wintry conditions that prevailed across most of Canada have taken a lot of the guesswork out of this year’s projections, he said, adding unseasonably low temperatures and high precipitation levels have taken hold virtually everywhere east of the Rockies.

Most notably, he said, Ontario and Quebec have had to contend with record-breaking cold while Atlantic Canada has been buried under unprecedented snowfalls, particularly in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

These conditions have ensured that the Great Lakes are more than 80 per cent covered in ice, Scott said, adding that figure is still growing and is on pace to rival the all-time record of 95 per cent.

“That ice is going to take a while to melt, and even after it melts the water will be quite cool,” Scott said in a telephone interview.

“Those factors lead us to a little more confidence in this below normal temperature forecast as we head to spring, especially the first part of it.”

Scott said the occasional shots of warm air moving up from the south will cause some short-term temperature spikes, which he predicted could increase the risk of flooding in some parts of the country.

He hopes the overall trend towards cold will regulate melting speed for the heavy snowpack in Eastern Canada, but warned that any prolonged cycle of thawing and freezing could cause problems.

Pedersterian walks down North River Road in Charlottetown. [John Morris/THE CANADIAN PRESS]

“If we get that perfect recipe of warm temperatures with rain, flooding could be a possibility. That’s something we will be watching for the next six weeks.”

Scott’s forecast is calling for temperatures to start reaching normal levels by mid April, though Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada are projected to still hover below seasonal norms.

A clear icy cold day has fog rising from the open waters of the South Saskatchewan River through Saskatoon near the weir and the CP Rail Bridge does not discourage an early morning stroll, February 11, 2015 in Saskatoon. (GordWaldner/TheStarPhoenix) []

]]>http://o.canada.com/news/weather/canadas-lousy-winter-about-to-become-a-spring-of-brutal-weather/feed0Toronto Weather 20150202thecanadianpressSPRING WEATHER OUTLOOKPedersterian walks down North River Road in Charlottetown.A clear icy cold day has fog rising from the open waters of the South Saskatchewan River through Saskatoon near the weir and the CP Rail Bridge does not discourage an early morning stroll, February 11, 2015 in Saskatoon. (GordWaldner/TheStarPhoenix)Canada Cooks: The Reef Runnerhttp://o.canada.com/life/food-drink/canada-cooks-the-reef-runner
http://o.canada.com/life/food-drink/canada-cooks-the-reef-runner#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 14:00:25 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=588677]]>VANCOUVER — The Province’s resident food truck and street food expert Jan Zeschky visits the Caribbean food specialists at The Reef Runner to sample their chicken roti.]]>http://o.canada.com/life/food-drink/canada-cooks-the-reef-runner/feed0Canada Cooks: The Reef Runnerpostmedianews1Kid President’s 7 ways to be awesomehttp://o.canada.com/life/kid-presidents-7-ways-to-be-awesome
http://o.canada.com/life/kid-presidents-7-ways-to-be-awesome#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 12:00:05 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=594567]]>Kid President’s message is, “We were made to be awesome.” His motto, “If it doesn’t change the world, don’t do it.”

To the 11-year-old YouTube star, changing the world includes giving hugs, high fives and dancing. It’s also meant making more than 75 million people laugh out loud while watching his quirky, inspiring videos that empower us all to make a difference by being kind and having fun. That’s what Kid President means by being awesome.

Kid President is Robby Novak, a preteen from Tennessee who loves corn dogs and speaks to the world from a cardboard “Oval Office.”
And the world is listening. Businesses show Robby’s videos to employees and teachers share them with students. Fans include the real deal, U.S. President Barack Obama.

We’ve met Robby a few times and welcomed him at We Day, where he’s shown off his cool dance moves. He is even more awesome (to borrow his own favourite word) given he lives so positively with a painful brittle bone disease known as osteogenesis imperfecta, and started making videos as a fun activity that wouldn’t cause injury.

Robby and his grown-up brother-in-law, Brad Montague (who co-produces the videos), didn’t set out to be online motivational icons. They created Kid President in 2012 to encourage people to see the world through the eyes of a kid.

That philosophy is what our life’s work is founded on. Most kids have a strong sense of social justice. When we empower them, we give that idealism a voice and ensure their innate awesomeness shines.

Here are some of our favourite tips from the new book Kid President’s Guide to Being Awesome (HarperCollins, 2015) that show you how to get your awesome on.

1. Put down your phone. The video Kid President’s Open Letter to Moms includes a brief message about putting away your phone to be more present. Parents loved it. One mom emailed Kid President to say he inspired her to stop using her mobile.

“We humans are more connected than ever, but sometimes technology can disconnect us from the ones we love the most,” writes Kid President. “Treat the people right in front of you as awesome.”

2. Celebrate everyone. Kid President learned this tip when he met backstage with Justin Timberlake and watched the star give his own grandma the kid-glove treatment.

“Celebrities are called ‘celebrities’ because society has somehow decided they are people worth celebrating,” writes Kid. Clever, huh. “Let’s live in a world where little brothers, teachers, fire fighters and grandmas are treated like they just performed for an entire arena.” Kid lived this motto and threw a parade for the “mail lady” in his hometown.

“Let’s live in a world where little brothers, teachers, fire fighters and grandmas are treated like they just performed for an entire arena,” — Robby Novak, a.k.a. Kid President

3. Mail your friend a corndog. We told you he loves corn dogs. To Canadianize, post some poutine or a Beaver Tail.

4. Create a world with fewer selfies. “We are not against selfies,” writes Kid President. “But we are aiming for a world with ‘otherpeoplies.’ It means spending more time letting other people know how liked they are,” instead of worrying about how many likes you are getting on social media.

5. Talk “gooder.” That’s exactly what the book suggests. “The average person says around 16,000 words in a day. That’s a lot of chances to make the world more awesome.” Kid President’s choice phrases include “I’m sorry,” “Here’s a surprise corndog” and “I forgive you.”

6. Ask kids who they want to be. “Grown-ups often ask kids, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’” They are looking for an answer like doctor, lawyer, teacher. But even more important is who kids want to be,” writes Kid President, who wants adults to focus on developing young people’s character as much as their career prospects.

7. Share the good news around you. “Create your own news show for your school or workplace. Develop a newsletter. Write a blog. Make good news spreads faster than bad news.”

Who knew doing good could be so much fun?

Brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger founded a platform for social change that includes the international charity Free The Children, the social enterprise Me to We and the youth empowerment movement We Day.

]]>http://o.canada.com/life/kid-presidents-7-ways-to-be-awesome/feed0Kid President.jpgcraigkielburgerThe Diadema offers embarkation choiceshttp://o.canada.com/travel/ports-and-bows/diadema-offers-embarkation-choices
http://o.canada.com/travel/ports-and-bows/diadema-offers-embarkation-choices#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 08:00:04 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=594921]]>ON THE COSTA DIADEMA — Catching a ride on the Costa Diadema provides nice options for North Americans. You can catch the ship in Barcelona, or in Marseille, or in Savona, Italy.

All three serve as embarkation ports for week-long Mediterranean cruises.

While Costa’s new 4,850-passenger ship isn’t exactly a hop-on, hop-off ship in its tours around the Mediterranean, having three ports into which you can fly is a convenient option not usually afforded cruise passengers who want to scratch “Mediterranean Cruise” off the bucket list.

Barcelona: a chance to see the amazing La Sagrada Familia

The fares remain the same for specific cruises, no matter where you get on the Diadema. It’s a strategy that doesn’t work everywhere, of course, but Costa has found it works in the Mediterranean.

There are some other advantages, as well as a couple of disadvantages.

When you divide the embarkation population into three ports, it naturally lessens the time and traffic on the day you board the ship, making 15 minutes from shore to ship more realistic. The same applies when you’re getting off, making for shorter line-ups and less luggage to search to find yours.

On the flip side, it also means having people in elevators and walkways carrying their lifejackets on the way to and from muster drills on two days when it doesn’t involve you. And the accompanying announcements will then be made three times in five languages, instead of once in five languages during your cruise.

Small potatoes, right?

Besides visiting the two ports where you don’t embark, the Diadema also makes stops at Naples, La Spezia, Palma de Majorca and Ajaccio on Corsica, the French island just south of the Italy-France border. Not all ports are on all cruises but all cruises have no more than one day at sea.

Be forewarned if you maximize your shore time: That means less time to enjoy Costa’s biggest ship. And enjoying it is only possible in the Mediterranean, at least in the foreseeable future…or March 31, 2016. The only planned change has to do with ports. Next year, Rome and Tunis replace Naples and Palma de Mallorca.

]]>http://o.canada.com/travel/ports-and-bows/diadema-offers-embarkation-choices/feed0DiademaphilreimerBarcelona: a chance to see the amazing La Sagrada FamiliaSharks snap eight-game home skid with 4-0 win over Canadienshttp://o.canada.com/sports/sharks-snap-eight-game-home-skid-with-4-0-win-over-canadiens
http://o.canada.com/sports/sharks-snap-eight-game-home-skid-with-4-0-win-over-canadiens#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 06:05:58 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595181&preview_id=595181]]>SAN JOSE, Calif. — Ben Smith scored just hours after being acquired by San Jose in a deadline deal and the Sharks shut out Montreal for the third straight meeting in a 4-0 win over the Canadiens on Monday night.

Joe Pavelski, Matt Irwin and Patrick Marleau also scored for the Sharks, who snapped an eight-game home losing streak by beating the top team in the Eastern Conference.

Alex Stalock made 20 saves for his fourth career shutout and first win of any kind since Jan. 6 at Minnesota. That performance followed Antti Niemi’s two shutouts against the Canadiens last year, giving San Jose three straight shutouts against a single opponent for the second time in team history. They also did it against Phoenix in 2007-08 season.

The Canadiens got off to a bad start on their four-game West Coast trip as they were outplayed from the start against San Jose. Carey Price made 33 saves and had his franchise record 10-game road winning streak snapped.

It was a busy day for both teams, who were active at the trade deadline. Montreal plugged several needs by acquiring defenceman Jeff Petry from Edmonton and making two separate deals with Buffalo to land forwards Torrey Mitchell and Brian Flynn. Petry arrived in time to play against the Sharks.

San Jose dealt away three forwards in the 24 hours leading up to the trade deadline, sending James Sheppard to the New York Rangers and Tyler Kennedy to the Islanders for draft picks and sending Andrew Desjardins to Chicago for Smith.

Despite the flurry of trades and recent slump, the Sharks still believed they had a shot at an 11th straight playoff berth. The win moved them into a three-way tie for third in the Pacific Division, although Calgary and Los Angeles each have two games in hand.

Smith arrived just before game time and didn’t even take part in the pre-game skate. But he made an immediate impact, deflecting a shot from Marc-Edouard Vlasic past Price less than seven minutes into the game to give San Jose the lead. It was Smith’s first point in 26 games and earned a loud ovation from the home crowd.

San Jose added to the lead in the final minute of the period. Pavelski deflected a point shot from Brent Burns that hit the post and was kicked in accidentally by Price.

Irwin’s point shot through a screen by Smith made it 3-0 early in the second and the Sharks went on to their eighth straight home win against Montreal.

The only drama was whether the Sharks would get the shutout and Burns helped preserve it when he batted a shot out by David Desharnais just before it crossed the goal line after his own turnover set up the scoring chance.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/sharks-snap-eight-game-home-skid-with-4-0-win-over-canadiens/feed0Canadiens-Sharks-Hockey.jpgtheassociatedpresscanadaNorthern Ontario’s Jacobs the lone undefeated team standing at Tim Hortons Brierhttp://o.canada.com/sports/northern-ontarios-jacobs-the-lone-undefeated-team-standing-at-tim-hortons-brier
http://o.canada.com/sports/northern-ontarios-jacobs-the-lone-undefeated-team-standing-at-tim-hortons-brier#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 05:21:01 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595176&preview_id=595176]]>CALGARY — Brad Jacobs made the most of his opportunities on Monday at the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier.

The Olympic champion followed up a 9-4 win over Jamie Koe and his Northwest Territories rink in the afternoon with a 7-3 victory over Ontario’s Mark Kean in the evening draw to improve his record to a perfect 5-0.

“I really like the way the guys played tonight,” Jacobs said in regards to his Northern Ontario foursome of third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden. “It’s a long week. You’ve got to take these things one game at a time and you can’t get too high or too low. I just think we’re doing a really good job of everything this week, so it feels good.”

Against Northwest Territories, Jacobs took advantage of a pair of miscues by Koe to score four in the fifth end.

“I think the main thing was we got two breaks,” said Jacobs, who went on to win in eight ends. “We got two misses out of Jamie Koe. To really hammer at the other team, you need to take that opportunity. You can’t let it slip away. I think we’ve done a good job of that so far.”

Despite being the only unbeaten team at the Brier through seven draws, Jacobs said he and his teammates still have room to improve.

“We can probably sharpen it a little bit still,” said Jacobs, who skipped his rink to a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. “We’re only four games in. There’s lots of curling left. We seem to be getting better and better, so hopefully that trend continues.”

Jacobs enjoyed having Monday morning off to get ready for back-to-back games in the afternoon and evening. He and his teammates will have that same luxury on Tuesday when they’re slated to face Adam Casey of Prince Edward Island in the afternoon before taking on Manitoba’s Reid Carruthers in the evening draw.

“I just love the way our draw sets up,” Jacobs said. “We’re back-to-back, which is perfect. You don’t have to sit around all day. It’s a really good mix of rest and recovering with playing.”

While Jacobs remained unbeaten, the same can’t be said for Brad Gushue and his Newfoundland and Labrador rink, which lost 6-3 to British Columbia’s Jim Cotter and 8-5 to Carruthers and his Manitoba rink.

“We’ve got to be a little bit better,” said Gushue, who will look to rebound against New Brunswick’s Jeremy Mallais and Ontario’s Kean on Tuesday. “We didn’t expect to go through undefeated. We’ve got to come back and play strong.”

While Gushue fell to 3-2, both Cotter and Carruthers improved to 2-2.

“It was a big win for us,” said Cotter, who enjoyed an evening off on Monday before facing Ontario on Tuesday morning and Quebec’s Jean-Michel Menard later that afternoon. “We had to pull that one out. You don’t want to go 1-3. When you’ve got a field like this, you know it’s going to be pretty tight at the end of the week, so you’ve got to scrape every win out for sure.”

Also on Monday, Saskatchewan’s Steve Laycock improved to 3-1 with an 8-4 win over John Morris and Team Canada in the evening draw.

“If we can stay at the one loss for quite a while, that’s really going to help us, because I think the field’s really going to even up over these next few games,” said Laycock, who will play New Brunswick in the morning and Quebec in the evening on Tuesday.

“We’ll have time to refocus and we’ll be ready. We know New Brunswick’s not going to give us an easy game tomorrow. We’ve got to be prepared for that one and not have a lull tomorrow.”

Thanks to a 7-5 win over Quebec’s Jean-Michel Menard on Monday night, Alberta’s Kevin Koe improved to 2-2 to sit in a tie for fourth place overall with Manitoba, B.C., Ontario and P.E.I.

“It’s nice to get back to even anyways,” said Koe, who has won two straight after opening up the event with two straight losses. “I just hope we can rattle off a few wins for the fans.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Morris stole two in the 10th end to rally for a 6-5 win over New Brunswick.

“We had to fight for every last inch out there,” Morris said. “I would say we’ve got a good sort of B-plus game going on right now, but we don’t have our A game either and that’s what we’ve got to get in order to compete in this bonspiel.”

Like Morris, Menard won his afternoon game (a 6-5 decision over P.E.I.), only to lose in the evening to fall to 2-3.

New Brunswick and Northwest Territories round out the field with 1-3 and 0-4 records respectively.

So close. But DeRozan still scored more than enough to straighten out the Raptors’ offence mired in a major funk.

Toronto coach Dwane Casey gave slumping all-star and Philadelphia native Kyle Lowry another night off to rest. Even without their leading scorer in the lineup for the second straight game, the Raptors won for the first time since Feb. 20.

The Raptors had lost of their five games during their streak on the road. They still hold the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference over the Chicago Bulls.

The Raptors credited a change in their shootaround routine with loosening up the locker room mood.

“It was more fun,” Vasquez said. “We just had competition shooting. There wasn’t too much shooting. Sometimes, we lose sight of the things we have done. And we’ve done some great things.”

Nerlens Noel scored 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting for the Sixers.

The Raptors at last built some breathing room late in the third to turn a one-point lead into an eventual double-digit cushion in the fourth. Terrence Ross hit two 3s and Williams hit one over the final 3:44 of the third for an 83-76 lead.

The Raptors stretched the lead to 105-91 with 3:04 left and sent what was left of a dismal crowd to the exits.

With Lowry out, DeRozan gave the Raptors a needed boost. He shot 12 for 24 from the floor, a solid outing for the 6-foot-7 guard after he missed 38 of 52 attempts in his past three games.

“It didn’t matter who we got this win again, we understood we just needed to get this win,” DeRozan said. “We had to get that confidence back.”

The 76ers got the bulk of the production off the bench from two players acquired late last month. The 76ers have burned through the transaction wire this season trying to find someone who can stick around and help with the heavy lifting in the lengthy rebuilding process.

Thomas Robinson, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2012 draft, is already with his fourth team. He had eight points and four rebounds in his first nine minutes off the bench late in the second quarter.

Ish Smith scored nine points over that same stretch, two players fighting for their NBA careers trying to prove they belonged. But also at that point, Noel, a franchise cornerstone, had not yet attempted a shot and promising guard Isaiah Canaan was scoreless. Smith scored 19 and Robinson had 13.

Noel did find his role in the offence and scored six points in 90 seconds, including a one-step dribble-and-dunk down the lane that cut the deficit to 40-39. It was just the start of his perfect night from the floor. It was just the start of his flawless night from the floor that also included seven rebounds.

“He’s really starting to grow as a leader outside of what we see on the court,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said.

Patterson and DeRozan hit a pair of late 3s that sent Toronto into halftime with a 55-49 lead.

TIP-INS

Raptors: Lowry may also sit out Wednesday against the Cavaliers. … The Raptors had not lost six straight games since Dec. 3-12, 2012. … The Raptors beat the 76ers for the eighth straight time.

76ers: Forward Robert Covington (right elbow) and guard Jason Richardson (left knee) did not play. … The 76ers waived centre JaVale McGee prior to midnight on March 1, making him eligible to join a post-season roster. … The 76ers had only 10 available players.

NEW YORK — The NBA has suspended Houston Rockets star James Harden one game without pay for kicking LeBron James in the groin.

The all-stars and Olympic teammates became tangled in the third quarter of Houston’s 105-103 victory over Cleveland on Sunday and Harden fell back to the court, then kicked his foot up into James.

Harden was given a flagrant foul 1 for the play, which the league upgraded Monday to a flagrant 2, which would have been an automatic ejection if called at the time.

An angry James said after the game that Harden’s kick was “not a basketball play” and that the league would probably look at it.

Harden, the NBA’s leading scorer and a top MVP candidate, won’t play when the Rockets visit the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/james-harden-suspended-one-game-for-kicking-lebron-james-in-the-groin-sunday/feed0Brooklyn Nets v Houston RocketstheassociatedpresscanadaThe great debate over a dress topped our videos of the weekhttp://o.canada.com/news/the-great-debate-over-a-dress-topped-our-videos-of-the-week
http://o.canada.com/news/the-great-debate-over-a-dress-topped-our-videos-of-the-week#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 01:47:25 +0000http://o.canada.com/?p=595150]]>A great debate took over the internet last week about the colour of a dress. Is the dress blue and black or white and gold? Our ‘experts’ at the National Post weighed in.

]]>http://o.canada.com/news/the-great-debate-over-a-dress-topped-our-videos-of-the-week/feed0150226_slatest_thedress-proof590-crop-promo-medium2thecanadadotcomFlames’ Mark Giordano to have surgery on torn biceps tendon, out for seasonhttp://o.canada.com/sports/flames-mark-giordano-to-have-surgery-on-torn-biceps-tendon-out-for-season
http://o.canada.com/sports/flames-mark-giordano-to-have-surgery-on-torn-biceps-tendon-out-for-season#commentsTue, 03 Mar 2015 00:20:41 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595145&preview_id=595145]]>CALGARY — Flames captain Mark Giordano will have surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon and is out for the season, the team announced just after the trade deadline passed.

General manager Brad Treliving told reporters in Philadelphia that the Norris Trophy candidate will miss four to five months and that there is no chance for him to play, even in the playoffs.

Treliving called the news “devastating.”

Giordano was tied for second in the NHL in scoring among defencemen with 48 points on 11 goals and 37 assists.

Because of Giordano’s absence, the Flames understandably were sellers at the deadline.

On Monday, they sent 22-year-old forward Sven Baertschi to the Vancouver Canucks for a second-round pick in this year’s draft.

Baertschi has four assists in 15 games for Calgary this year and has spent much of the season with the AHL’s Adirondack Flames.

Treliving said Baertschi asked for a trade.

The 2011 first-round pick has just eight goals and 20 assists in 66 career NHL games.

On Sunday, the Flames got a second- and a third-round pick from the Washington Capitals for pending-free-agent winger Curtis Glencross.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/03/02/columbus-blue-jackets-deal-jordan-leopold-to-minnesota-wild-reuniting-him-with-11-year-old-daughter/feed0Jordan Leopold, Patric HornqvisttheassociatedpresscanadaJordyn Leopold's letter to the Minnesota Wild.With no clear-cut Stanley Cup favourite, contenders all make trades before NHL’s deadlinehttp://o.canada.com/sports/with-no-clear-cut-stanley-cup-favourite-contenders-all-make-trades-before-nhls-deadline
http://o.canada.com/sports/with-no-clear-cut-stanley-cup-favourite-contenders-all-make-trades-before-nhls-deadline#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 21:35:06 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595126&preview_id=595126]]>NHL general managers usually like their teams by this point in the season. Some love their teams.

This trade deadline wasn’t made for that line of thinking. With no clear-cut Stanley Cup front-runner and a wide-open playoff picture, every team in the post-season race made at least one significant move within the past week.

Deadline day was short on big names but not meaningful activity. The Montreal Canadiens added Edmonton Oilers defenceman Jeff Petry and Buffalo Sabres forwards Brian Flynn and Torrey Mitchell to make a run in a wide-open Eastern Conference, and the St. Louis Blues got Arizona Coyotes defenceman Zbynek Michalek and Toronto Maple Leafs centre Olli Jokinen to try to get through the brutal West.

“The West is as tough as it ever was,” Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff told reporters in Winnipeg.

Days after the Pacific Division-rival Los Angeles Kings got defenceman Andrej Sekera, the Anaheim Ducks acquired James Wisniewski from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Korbinian Holzer from the Leafs and Simon Despres from the Pittsburgh Penguins to stack their blue-line.

Ducks GM Bob Murray looked at the Kings and others and was determined to make sure his team could play with them.

“You build to compete and beat certain teams. L.A. is a prime candidate,” Murray said on a conference call Monday night. “We’re capable now of competing against most of the teams in our conference.”

No team within six points of a playoff spot in either conference stood pat. Some in the hunt like the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks sold with an eye on contending in the future.

Calgary didn’t want to mortgage that, especially with the news that captain Mark Giordano is out for the remainder of the season with a torn biceps tendon. The Flames sit in a playoff spot, but wouldn’t have been able to replace the Norris Trophy candidate.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got the trading going after midnight when they sent first- and third-round picks to the Philadelphia Flyers for defenceman Braydon Coburn and dealt forward Brett Connolly to the Boston Bruins for two second-round picks. General manager Steve Yzerman said his No. 1 goal was to improve defensively and believes getting Coburn gives the Lightning “a better chance to win in the playoffs.”

Their chief competition in the Atlantic Division answered later.

Montreal gave up a second-round pick and a conditional fifth to rent Petry for the rest of this season and the playoffs, then strengthened its forward depth by getting Flynn and Mitchell in separate trades.

“Our goal is to make the playoffs still,” GM Marc Bergevin told reporters in San Jose. “As far as I’m concerned, we still don’t have a little nick next to the Montreal Canadiens in the standings, which means we haven’t made the playoffs yet. But we put ourselves in a good spot.”

The Detroit Red Wings, who were rumoured to be interested in Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf, instead gave up a conditional third-round pick to get right-handed-shooting defenceman Marek Zidlicky from the New Jersey Devils.

The Canadiens, Lightning and Red Wings are separated by six points in the Atlantic. Six points also separate the top four teams in the Metropolitan Division: the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

All four teams made a move within 24 hours of the deadline, with the Islanders shoring up their goaltending by getting backup Michal Neuvirth from Buffalo and Pittsburgh getting more experience on defence.

“It’s hard to sit back and do nothing when people are trying to do something,” Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan told reporters in Arlington, Va., after getting Curtis Glencross from the Flames a day earlier. “The Eastern Conference is pretty even in my mind.”

The Nashville Predators lead the West, but there’s no unstoppable force in that conference, either, especially since the Chicago Blackhawks learned star winger Patrick Kane was out until deep into the playoffs with a broken clavicle. After getting Andrew Desjardins from San Jose on Monday and landing Antoine Vermette from Arizona on Saturday, Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman believes this is the strongest this group has ever been at centre.

In a depth move, the Vancouver Canucks acquired 22-year-old forward Sven Baertschi from Calgary for a second-round pick in this year’s draft.

In total, 19 teams made at least one trade involving an NHL player on deadline day, with 43 total moved. Twenty draft picks changed hands, too, including one first-rounder.

“Everybody says they’re not going to trade picks and as soon as the first one goes, it’s like, ‘Whoa boy, we’re off to the races,’ ” Flyers GM Ron Hextall told reporters in Voorhees, N.J. “Everybody says nobody’s going to trade their first pick and (Pittsburgh) trades one (in January), and all of a sudden they start flying around. I’m not surprised. It happens every year.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/with-no-clear-cut-stanley-cup-favourite-contenders-all-make-trades-before-nhls-deadline/feed0Edmonton Oilers v Ottawa SenatorsthecanadianpressBraydon Coburn of the Flyers collides with Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals after Ovechkin had been high-sticked by Philadelphia's Kimmo Timonen during the first period of their NHL game at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The Flyers won 5-2.New Jersey Devils' Marek Zidlicky, left, of the Czech Republic, controls the puck as he is checked by Columbus Blue Jackets' Marko Dano, of Austrtia. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)Dallas Cowboys put franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryanthttp://o.canada.com/sports/dallas-cowboys-put-franchise-tag-on-wide-receiver-dez-bryant
http://o.canada.com/sports/dallas-cowboys-put-franchise-tag-on-wide-receiver-dez-bryant#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 21:07:42 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595113&preview_id=595113]]>IRVING, Texas — Dez Bryant will get four more months to work on a long-term deal with the Cowboys and make $12.8 million next year after the team used its franchise tag on the star wide receiver.

Bryant led the NFL with a club-record 16 touchdowns in the final year of a rookie contract that paid $11.8 million over five years.

The 26-year-old Bryant was the fastest Dallas player to 300 career receptions and second-fastest to 50 touchdowns behind Bob Hayes.

The Cowboys also have to decide whether to re-sign running back DeMarco Murray after he had a league-leading 1,845 yards rushing in the final year of his contract. He becomes a free agent March 10.

The club dealt top defenceman James Wisniewski and a third-round pick in 2015 to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday for left wing Rene Bourque, centre William Karlsson and a second-round pick this summer.

Earlier, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen dealt seldom-used defenceman Jordan Leopold for a younger blue-liner and a draft pick and also signed forward Cam Atkinson to a three-year deal.

Wisniewski, who just turned 31, is an offensive-minded blue-liner with 8 goals and 21 assists this season. Over his NHL career with Chicago, Anaheim, the New York Islanders, Montreal and Columbus, he has 53 goals and 216 assists in 538 games.

Bourque, a 33-year-old, had been placed on waivers by the Ducks. He was acquired from Montreal in November.

The 22-year-old Karlsson played 18 games with the Ducks in his rookie season this year, totalling two goals and an assist. He was Anaheim’s second-round pick in 2011, the 53rd pick overall.

Wisniewski had fallen into disfavour recently with the Blue Jackets. He was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career last week.

The Blue Jackets locked up Atkinson, one of their most energetic forwards.

Atkinson’s agent, George Bazos at Edge Sports Management, confirmed Monday his client had signed a new contract worth $2.5 million next year, $3.5 million in 2016-17 and $4.5 million in 2017-18.

Atkinson, 25, has 13 goals and 12 assists in 58 games this season, including three power-play and five game-winning goals. In 199 NHL games, all with Columbus, he has 50 goals and 47 assists.

Earlier in the day, the Blue Jackets united a family by sending Leopold home.

Leopold went to his home state Minnesota Wild for defenceman Justin Falk and a fifth-round pick in the 2015 draft.

The 34-year-old Leopold, an unrestricted free agent this summer, has been separated from his family since he was acquired on Nov. 15 from the St. Louis Blues for a fifth-round pick in 2016.

His 10-year-old daughter Jordyn sent a plaintive letter to the Wild’s coaches asking that they help swing a deal to bring her father home.

Leopold has played 13 years in the NHL for Calgary, Colorado, Florida, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, St. Louis and Columbus.

Falk, 26, who requested a trade, is a restricted free agent this summer. He was scoreless in 13 games with the Wild this season and has a goal and 16 assists in 142 NHL games. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft by Minnesota.

The Leafs received forward Joakim Lindstrom and a conditional sixth-round pick.

Jokinen, acquired from the Predators in the Feb. 15 deal that sent Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli to Nashville, played six games with the Leafs and registered one assist.

The 36-year-old centre will join his 10th NHL team after stints with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Predators and Leafs.

Jokinen has appeared in just six playoff games in his career.

Lindstrom, 31, has three goals and three assists in 34 games this season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

In another move, the Leafs traded defenceman Korbinian Holzer to the Anaheim Ducks.

The return was not immediately known.

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/toronto-maple-leafs-send-veteran-centre-olli-jokinen-to-st-louis-blues-for-draft-pick/feed0James van Riemsdyk, Olli JokinenthecanadianpressOttawa to host 2017 Roar of the Rings to determine Canadian Olympic entrieshttp://o.canada.com/sports/ottawa-to-host-2017-roar-of-the-rings-to-determine-canadian-olympic-entries
http://o.canada.com/sports/ottawa-to-host-2017-roar-of-the-rings-to-determine-canadian-olympic-entries#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 19:43:02 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595079&preview_id=595079]]>CALGARY — Beat out by Winnipeg to host Canada’s previous Olympic curling trials, Ottawa has won the bid for the 2017 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings.

The men’s and women’s winners emerging from the Dec. 2-10 trials at the Canadian Tire Centre will represent Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang, South Korea.

They’ll be tasked with defending the gold medals won by Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones and Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., last year in Sochi, Russia.

A pre-trials tournament that completes the Roar of the Rings field will be held Nov. 6-12 in Summerside, P.E.I. The event was held in Kitchener in 2013 in a 7,000-seat arena.

“We received multiple bids for both properties,” Curling Canada chief executive officer Greg Stremlaw said Monday at a news conference in Calgary.

Stremlaw didn’t reveal the other competing cities for the trials or pre-trials, but Saskatchewan media outlets have reported Saskatoon bid for the trials.

Ottawa is also the host city of the 2016 Tim Hortons Brier. The Canadian Tire Centre seats 19,153 and is the home of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Total attendance at the 15,000-seat MTS Centre at the 2013 trials drew 136,771.

Stremlaw said numerous factors made the Canadian capital’s bid successful this time: volunteer workforce, the Senators’ blessing to use their building, a major airport, host broadcaster TSN’s familiarity with the building and the host committee’s ability to raise the financial capital to stage it.

Credit Union Place in Summerside seats 4,228 for the pre-trials event.

“We thought maybe having a slightly smaller building would actually suit that property very well,” Stremlaw said. “It was interesting to try and move something to Atlantic Canada.

“We were quite encouraged to see a wonderful bid from Summerside, especially for an Olympic qualification event such as that.”

Jacobs claimed the final pre-trials berth in Kitchener and won his way through it and the main trials en route to Olympic gold.

The 2017 pre-trials field already has a few entries with 2014 Canada Cup winners Mike McEwen and Val Sweeting, as well as Jones, who won the Canadian women’s title last month. The winner of this week’s Brier in Calgary will also gain a pre-trials berth.

The formula for determining eligible teams and the event formats will be announced in April. There will be no major changes because the previous system was so successful producing gold medals, Stremlaw said.

“It rewards for consistent performance and consistent excellence,” he said. “From there we all know it really rewards the hottest teams of both genders that come out of (the trials).

“The results have been phenomenal to date. Clearly with the double-gold result and the fact that it’s the only (Canadian) sport that’s ever been on the podium for every Olympic Games that we’ve entered, that’s a record we’re pretty proud of.”

Zidlicky’s agent Allan Walsh disclosed the deal in a tweet Monday, hours before the NHL trade deadline. Zidlicky had to waive a no-trade clause in his contract that expires after this season.

The Devils will receive a third-round draft pick in 2016, but they will also get a second rounder this year if Detroit reaches the Eastern Conference finals. If the Red Wings reach the Stanley Cup Finals, the third rounder next year becomes a second-round pick, but the second-round choice in 2015 is wiped out.

The 38-year-old Zidlicky has played in all 63 games for the Devils this season, scoring four goals and adding 19 assists.

“You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows,” Bob Dylan sang. But these days, a guide through the seemingly endless flurry of pop culture offerings is just what we need. With that in mind, here is what’s on the radar screen in TV, music and film for the coming week.

MOVIES

Big releases on March 6: Chappie, Unfinished Business.

Big picture: Johnny 5 is alive! Only his hobbies include occasional police brutality. It’s Short Circuit meets WALL-E meets RoboCop — meets the future I’ve always feared/hoped for. The film is from Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Elysium), the South African director who likes to create sci-fi that makes you think. Chappie is a police droid re-programmed by criminals to think for himself. Suddenly he’s the black sheep among our future robotic overlords. Meanwhile, Unfinished Business does for business trips what The Hangover did for bachelor parties — and what Vince Vaughn did for wedding crashing, dodge ball, and internships etc. Vaughn plays a small business owner with two dysfunctional employees (Tom Wilkinson, Dave Franco) who heads to Europe to secure a vital business deal. The comedic trio faces everything from kinky moments at a global sex fetish event to being tear-gassed at an economic summit.

Forecast: Chappie will have a romantic interest played by a Roomba. Unfinished Business will feel like National Lampoon’s European Vacation — minus the family or vacation. (And, finally, Vaughn will be far more memorable on TV in the upcoming Season 2 of True Detective.)

Honorable mention: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Indian and English culture clashes again with warm and fuzzy results. Only this time Richard Gere joins much of the original ensemble cast, including Judi Dench and Bill Nighy. And there’s also a heart-warming wedding. (Yawn. Somebody call me when they make either the Second Grand Budapest Hotel or The Second Best Bates Motel. I’d watch either of those movies).

Big picture: American crime? Not enough of that on TV, am I right? The words “from the screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave” tell you this isn’t going to be CSI fluff. When a young, white couple are brutally attacked in a small, California town, suspicion falls on young men in the Hispanic community. Violence, prejudice and injustice threaten to engulf everyone. (This isn’t a “feel good” show to lift you out of seasonal depression, but it is a sign the broadcast networks are feeling the pressure to match cable for drama quality). Meanwhile, one of those networks, NBC, is going to regret letting this next one get away to Netflix. It’s the story of a young, naive woman rescued from a cult who opts to rebuild her life in New York City. (No, it’s not a biopic on Katie Holmes). It’s a comedy produced by Tina Fey! Ellie Kemper stats as the titular Kimmy; Fey’s 30 Rock co-star Jane Krakowski also appears as a regular.

Forecast: Audiences will wish American Crime had the grit of True Detective. Given our copycat culture, expect crime dramas in the near future called American Detective, True Crime, Crime Detective and True American. Meanwhile, comedy lovers should celebrate Kemper, Fey and Krakowksi together on a new project. All for one and one for all.

Honorable mention: CSI Cyber (March 4, CBS/CTV). Patricia Arquette goes from Oscar glory to procedural doldrums. As head of the FBI’s Cyber Crime Division, she also has to babysit Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek). I would have preferred a series about Chappie to a fourth entry in the CSI franchise.

Big picture: You can’t make this kind of stuff up. The rootsy husband and wife duo, Pharis and Jason Romero, are from a small town called Horsefly, B.C. — and recorded this album in the workshop of their own banjo company. As for their music and lifestyle choices? SIGN. ME. UP. (I’ve already thrown my smartphone in a snow bank and bought a pony). The duo brings new life and passion to a classic folks and Americana. Meanwhile, Of Montreal is my favourite band not from Montreal that should be. On their lucky No. 13 album, the ever-creative indie band mixes disco and funk, garage and hard rock. This is the kind of idiosyncratic group with song titles like Chthonian Dirge for Uruk the Other. Enough said.

Forecast: The Romeros welcome you into a timeless world and make you want to stay; Of Montreal will inspire many hipsters to think they’re smarter than they are — and some future indie group to call themselves Of My Parent’s Basement.

Honorable mentions: Kelly Clarkson (Piece by Piece), Give Clarkson credit; she ran out of her “seven minutes of American Idol fame” years ago. She’s the real deal — even if she’s not your thing.

]]>http://o.canada.com/entertainment/movies/pop-forecast-for-march-2-chappie-american-crime-new-this-week/feed0Chappiepostmedianews1American Crime TV showJason and Pharis Romero: a rootsy husband and wife duo.Rare switch-pitcher Pat Venditte looks to find a spot with Oakland Athleticshttp://o.canada.com/sports/rare-switch-pitcher-pat-venditte-looks-to-find-a-spot-with-oakland-athletics
http://o.canada.com/sports/rare-switch-pitcher-pat-venditte-looks-to-find-a-spot-with-oakland-athletics#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 19:14:53 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595049&preview_id=595049]]>MESA, Ariz. — Pat Venditte is used to it by now. Teammates, coaches and others regularly stop him for a chance to check out his one-of-a-kind glove, the same one he has used for years featuring space for either hand.

Venditte is a rare switch-pitcher. He hopes that versatility will make him a perfect fit for an Oakland club that values it so much.

While there is intrigue with his unique ability, Venditte is determined to make his mark at Athletics spring training with little fanfare and do whatever he can to find a spot at the highest level in the organization.

Teammates and coaches stop to check out Pat Venditte’s one-of-a-kind glove, the same one he has used for years featuring space for either hand. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

Count manager Bob Melvin among the A’s in awe of Venditte, who can make for serious matchup problems in the later innings.

Former Oakland coach Ariel Prieto used to throw batting practice with both arms. Melvin played in Boston with ambidextrous pitcher Greg Harris, the only one in the modern era to throw in a major league game with both hands.

Stephen Vogt is now catching Venditte after facing him in the minors.

“It’s just crazy how he can throw with both hands. It’s impressive, it’s fun,” Vogt said. “His slider’s good left-handed. I faced him five years ago, too, in high-A.”

Venditte was 3 when he began using both hands. He’s a natural right-hander, so the left side needed some time to develop.

“It took many years of work to get to the point I feel comfortable from both sides,” he said. “I just remember spending a lot of time outside with my dad playing catch, hitting and doing all the baseball things. I don’t really remember fighting it too much.”

“The surprising thing to me is that he’s very functional from both sides.”

New A’s designated hitter Billy Butler stood in against Venditte the other day.

“He’s got every arm angle there is, they say,” Butler said. “I’ve only seen him throw from the left side. I haven’t met any ambidextrous guys. I’ve been playing baseball for a long time now, and it’s one of those things that’s very unique. I can’t do anything left-handed, and I’m really good at doing stuff right-handed. That just shows you the type of talent he has to be able to do both.”

The 29-year-old Venditte has done his share of explaining his fancy mitt and talent to do his job with both arms. He would rather show everyone by finally earning his shot to pitch in a big league game.

Venditte played at Hohokam Stadium during college, so his new surroundings are a bit familiar even though the A’s have given the Cubs’ former home a major face-lift.

Venditte’s father, also Pat, is in Arizona for spring training. He also travelled from Omaha to Tampa, Florida, for Yankees camp when Venditte was in New York’s farm system.

The glove that Patrick Venditte of the Oakland Athletics uses. (AP Photo/Janie McCauley)

Venditte pitched at both the Double-A and Triple-A levels last year, going a combined 2-6 with a 2.64 ERA in 41 outings with two starts.

“The surprising thing to me is that he’s very functional from both sides,” Melvin said. “Look at his numbers, too, and he’s good both ways. Arm angles are pretty similar and movement’s pretty similar. To be able to do that, I don’t know what’s going on with the brain, but he’s able to do it very well and he’s a great kid on top of it and really impressed everybody here with his work ethic, so everybody’s pulling for him.”

There’s even a rule inspired by Venditte, who pitched in college at Creighton.

In his 2008 debut with the Staten Island Yankees, Brooklyn switch-hitter Ralph Enriquez came to the plate to hit right-handed, so Venditte prepared to throw with his right. When Enriquez switched to the left side, so did Venditte.

The infuriating back-and-forth went on until they each were told to go from the right. A day later, baseball ruled that pitchers using both hands must decide which arm they’re going to use before an at-bat.

So, how’d Vogt do against Venditte back in the day?

“I don’t remember,” Vogt said, then added, “probably not good, because he’s really good left-handed. The way he has continued to do it over the years, it’s really fun to watch.”

]]>http://o.canada.com/sports/rare-switch-pitcher-pat-venditte-looks-to-find-a-spot-with-oakland-athletics/feed0Athletics-Switch-Pitcher-Baseball.jpgthecanadadotcomFILE - This is a 2015, file photo showing Patrick Venditte of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. Venditte is used to it by now. Teammates and coaches stop to check out his one-of-a-kind glove, the same one he has used for years featuring space for either hand. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)This is a Feb. 26, 2015, photo showing the glove that Patrick Venditte of the Oakland Athletics baseball team uses. Venditte is use to it by now. Teammates and coaches stop to check out his one-of-a-kind glove, the same one he has used for years featuring space for either hand. (AP Photo/Janie McCauley)NFL salary cap once again goes up $10 million, exceeding $143 million for next seasonhttp://o.canada.com/sports/nfl-salary-cap-once-again-goes-up-10-million-exceeding-143-million-for-next-season
http://o.canada.com/sports/nfl-salary-cap-once-again-goes-up-10-million-exceeding-143-million-for-next-season#commentsMon, 02 Mar 2015 19:11:12 +0000https://postmediacanadadotcom.wordpress.com?p=595054&preview_id=595054]]>NEW YORK — The NFL’s salary cap is going up $10 million to $143.28 million for the 2015 season.

All 32 teams and the players’ union were notified Monday of the increase, the second straight season the cap went up by at least $10 million. Adding in benefits, the league says the projected player costs will be $180.775 million per team.

The NFL’s business year starts March 10, when free agency begins.

The salary cap is determined by a series of NFL revenue streams, with the players receiving 46 per cent to 48 per cent of those revenues, depending on the year.

Several teams are carrying over wads of money they did not spend in 2014, giving them higher adjusted salary cap numbers. The highest such total is Jacksonville at $168.4 million; the Jaguars are carrying over $21.7 million in unspent money and have $3.43 in financial adjustments.

Other teams with substantially more to spend in 2015 include Cleveland ($161.7 million), Philadelphia ($159.8 million); the New York Jets ($156.1 million); and Tennessee ($154.3 million).

According to the 2011 labour agreement, the NFL and individual clubs must guarantee a minimum level of cash spending during two four-year cycles: 2013-16, and 2017-20. The CBA ends after the 2020 season.

The league guarantees that 95 per cent of the cumulative salary caps will be spent, and each club guarantees 89 per cent of the cumulative salary caps for those four years will be spent.

Since the current CBA was signed, the cap has been $120 million in 2011 and 2012, $123 million in 2013, and $133 million in 2014.

The league and union also released franchise tag values for 2015; teams had until Monday to designate players with either the franchise or transition tag.